Breaking Bright
by Topaz B. Rainheart
Summary: Brightpaw is a new apprentice of RiverClan, ready and excited to become a warrior! Shes encountered some bumps along the way, but shes ready to do whatever it takes to become the newest warrior of RiverClan. Because no cat would lie to hurt her...right? Crackfic, don't like don't read. Rated for for regular warrior stuff, plus some implied/referenced non-consensual.
1. Prologue

**AN: This is literally for fun, I will write it up, give it a cursery edit, and then post, so expect plot holes. They will not be cleaned up unless they haunt me in my sleep. If you don't like crack fics, feel free to leave any time. Therefore, there may be notes that aren't usually on my fics that are considered "meta" info. Don't like, don't read.**

**~Topaz**

* * *

**_Allegiances_**

**RiverClan**

Leader

Featherstar - pale grey tabby she-cat with yellow eyes and long fur (named Featherkit at birth because her ears/tail were extremely fluffy and active for a just born kitten, 4/9 lives left)

_Apprentice, Scorchpaw_

Deputy

Sandstripe - cream tabby she-cat with yellow eyes and red paws/tail tip

Medicine Cat

Goldensky - Black tom with ginger-brown tabby-tortie pattern and green eyes

_Apprentice, Pebblefall_

Warriors (toms and she-cats without kits)

Snowbelly - light brown tabby tom with several white streaks along his belly from a battle when he was an apprentice

Eelspots - dark brown tom with pale brown and grey spots and amber eyes

_Apprentice, Brightpaw_

Troutface - pale silver tabby tom with blue eyes and black paws (named because hes really good at catching trout, and went around bragging that he was so much more handsome than the others, that the fish leaped to their deaths for his face. Featherstar named him that to humble him, but after a while it stopped feeling like a cruel name and more like his name. Sort of mates with Sandstripe?)

_Apprentice, Nightpaw_

Frostheart - silver tabby she-cat with yellow eyes (mates with Sandstripe)

_Apprentice, Mistypaw_

Mossflower - dark brown tabby she-cat with copper eyes

_Apprentice, Dawnpaw_

Rainears - dark blue-grey tom with blue eyes

Darkstorm - black tom with yellow eyes

_Apprentice, Cinderpaw_

Blueshine - deep blue-grey she-cat with yellow eyes

_Apprentice, Otterpaw_

Mudfoot - dark brown tom with amber eyes (son of Eelspots and Dawnpool)

_Apprentice, Yellowpaw_

Hawkclaw - black tom with blue eyes (named when he saved some kits from a bird of some sort-possibly a heron)

_Apprentice, Shellpaw_

Stoneclaw - dark grey tabby tom with yellow eyes (son of Troutface and Mossflower)

_Apprentice, Swiftpaw_

Brookleap - pale brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes (daughter of Troutface and Mossflower)

Apprentices

Pebblefall - dark grey spotted tabby tom with yellow eyes (son of Darkstorm and Lilystep)

Cinderpaw - pale grey she-cat with blue eyes (Daughter of Snowbelly and Featherstar)

Shellpaw - Fawn spotted tabby tom with amber eyes (Son of Snowbelly and Featherstar)

Yellowpaw - Lilac-grey tabby tom with copper eyes (son of Dawnpool and unknown tom)

Otterpaw - dark grey tabby she-cat with yellow eyes (daughter of Sandstripe and Troutface/Frostheart)

Dawnpaw - cream tabby she-cat with yellow eyes (daughter of Sandstripe and Troutface/Frostheart)

Scorchpaw - deep ginger tabby tom with amber eyes (son of Sandstripe and Troutface/Frostheart)

Brightpaw - cinnamon tabby she-cat with blue eyes (daughter of Sandstripe and Troutface/Frostheart)

Nightpaw - brown white-speckled she-cat with blue eyes (daughter of Rainears and Lilystep)

Swiftpaw - skinny white tom with blue eyes (son of Rainears and Lilystep)

Queens

Mistystream - pale blue-grey she-cat with green eyes, expecting Stoneclaw's kits

Lilystep - white she-cat with silver spotted tabby markings and blue eyes

Dawnpool - golden-brown tabby she-cat with green eyes, expecting Eelspots kits

Elders

Blackwater - black tom with grey-speckled fur and yellow eyes (father of Sandstripe and Goldensky)

Volefur - deep blue-grey tom with greying muzzle and blue eyes

Ripplefoot - dark brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes and mangled right back leg from some twoleg rubbish

**ThunderClan**

Leader

Hollystar - golden-brown tabby she-cat with yellow eyes

Deputy

Oakclaw - dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Medicine Cat

Mintstorm - pale grey tom with white paws and blue eyes

_Apprentice, Fallowpaw (pale brown tabby she-cat with green eyes)_

**ShadowClan**

Leader

Sunstar - dark ginger tabby tom with yellow eyes

_Apprentice, Owlpaw (white tom with pale brown speckled pelt and yellow eyes)_

Deputy

Stormheart - dark grey tom with blue eyes

Medicine Cat

Sharpnose - tawny brown tom with brindled pelt and amber eyes

**WindClan**

Leader

Harestar - pale brown tom with yellow eyes

Deputy

Runningheart - white tom with one orange eye and one blue eye

_Apprentice, Falconpaw (brown tabby tom with amber eyes)_

Medicine Cat

Mintflower - silver tabby she-cat with green eyes

* * *

**_Prologue_**

"You can do it, Sandstripe!" Frostheart encouraged her mate. Four kits had already been born, and Goldensky had estimated three more to go.

Sandstripe grunted, pushing, and a small bundle tumbled out. Goldensky snatched it up and passed it to Lilystep, who was days from her own birth. Lilystep bent over the kit for a moment, then looked up at Troutface. He realized what it was at once. The kit was still-born. Their attention was drawn away from the little mite, and to Sandstripe. Sandstripe screeched, and almost at the same time, one after another, two kits passed through the birth canal. One was already mewling plaintively, but the other was deadly quiet. Frostheart and Goldensky began cleaning up the two kits briskly. The kit who'd been quiet seemed dead. Troutface moved forwards to place her with the other one. He didn't want Sandstripe to see her dead kits right away. He knew she would blame herself. Then Goldensky thumped the kits chest, and the little mite coughed up a bit of the birth sac, before mewling loudly. They all breathed a sigh of relief.

"You have six healthy kits," Goldensky told the proud parents, "Two toms and four daughters." He slipped out to get more herbs.

Meanwhile, Sandstorm looked over their kits blearily. "There were two more..." she whispered, "Where..." Her eyes fell on the two heaps of fur. "Oh." Her voice was pained, and small.

Frostheart and Troutface brought them over, then Troutface slipped out. This was his sister and her mates moment, and not for him to partake in.

Sandstripe took a deep shuddering breath. "I want to name them. All of them."

Frostheart didn't question her love's intentions. Instead, she nosed the still kits. One was a thin boney cat, his white fur thin and patchy. "How about Cloudkit?" she suggested.

Sandstripe nodded, then nosed the second one of the two gently, her movement sad. This one was also a tom, a black tom the same color as Troutface's paws. He looked Where his legs should be there were stumps that hadn't finished growing. Even if he had been born alive, he would have had a harsh and brief life, the poor thing. "Dustkit." She drew in a breath. "Ple-please, take them away. They should-the clan should know the two kits that might have been..."

"I'll do it." Lilystep picked up the two kits by their thin scruffs, blinking sympathetically at Sandstripe and Frostheart, then walked out.

Frostheart hurried on, wanting to finish naming the kits before Sandstripe lost heart. "Sc-Scorchkit for the ginger tabby tom, I think, and Dawnkit for the cream tabby she-kit? And for the black she-kit, Shadekit?"

Sandstripe nodded, then continued, "Otterkit for the dark grey she-kit..."

"And Hailkit for the dark grey tom. What about the she-kit Goldensky saved?"

Sandstripe watched their daughter suckle for the longest time. Then, finally she spoke. "Brightkit. Because I hope StarClan lets her life be bright." She reached down and nuzzled the small kittens head. Brightkit mewled in protest, then fell asleep.

Frostheart purred. "Shall I tell the clan?"

"No!" Sandstripe said suddenly, looking panicked, then calmed slightly. "No, please...stay with me. I want to know my family is all safe...please." Frostheart could never say no to her love, so she stepped carefully to curl around Sandstripe and the kits, grooming Sandstripe's ear for comfort.


	2. Chapter 1

**AN: We (we as in this story and its author, which is me) have our first favorite/follow! Dalonadon71201! Virtual purrs and cream!**

**~Topaz**

* * *

Brightkit knelt beside the bodies to sit vigil like her mother had instructed.

After about thirty seconds, she lost patience. "Sandstripe?" she whined, looking up from the stiff bodies of Shadekit and Hailkit, "Why do we have to sit around and look at Shadekit like this? Shadekit hates being watched when shes sleeping! Are Hailkit and Shadekit playing a trick on us?"

Sandstripe looked much more fragile than Brightkit was used to seeing her. "Shadekit isn't sleeping, sweetie. She and Hailkit are..." But Sandstripe seemed unable to finish the sentence.

"Yes she is." Were grown cats all stupid, Brightkit wondered.

Brightkit jumped at the feel of a muzzle nudging her closer to the body of her sister. "Shadekit and Hailkit are dead, little one," Eelspots whispered in her ear, running his tail down her back in what might have been a comforting manner. "They're with your brothers in StarClan, now."

Brightkit looked over at Sandstripe, hoping her mother would say something or at least tell Eelspots to leave Brightkit alone cause he was creeping her out, but she just looked a little relieved to not have to answer that question.

Brightkit fell asleep a while later, bored of sitting around and doing nothing, and woke up to Frostheart picking her up and carrying her into the nursery. Nearby, Swiftkit watched her. Brightkit hissed at him. "Brightkit, stop that," Frostheart scolded. Brightkit scowled. She hated Swiftkit staring at her. He was weird. Finally, he stopped watching her. Frostheart set Brightkit down beside Sandstripe and Brightkit's littermates, and Brightkit fell asleep.

* * *

"Please can I be an apprentice now? I caught a fish already!" Brightkit held it up for her mother to inspect.

Sandstripe purred. "Brightkit, thats not a fish, thats your sisters tail."

"Aw!" Brightkit accidentally nipped Dawnkits tail when she started whining, and before Brightkit could offer another extremely compelling argument for why she should be an apprentice right now, Dawnkit tackled her. "Ahh!"

Sandstripe watched the two kits tussle, then, to add insult to injury, Brightkit heard her mother meow, rather amused, "If you can't even fight off your sister, I think we'd better wait the full six moons for your apprenticeship. Go play outside." Brightkit muttered rebelliously, but sighed and went out, following her siblings. They were clustered around the apprentices. Stonepaw was talking, and from the looks of it, the apprentices were having their favorite argument. Which mentor was the best. Brightkit settled down to listen.

"So, yeah Cinderpaw, maybe Darkstorm is nicer to everyone, but I still say Eelspots is the best," he boasted. Brightkit crept closer, curious. "Because of him, I'm totally going to be the best fighter ever. He hardly ever makes me waste time taking care of the elders and their stupid problems." Brightkit hoped Stonepaw became a warrior before she was an apprentice, because having a mentor like Eelspots sounded pretty awesome.

Mistypaw sighed wistfully. "You're so lucky. Sometimes I feel like I'll never become a warrior at this rate. Frostheart has me taking care of the elders all the time. I think their bedding is good enough by now!"

"Actually..." The apprentices froze at Frosthearts voice behind them. "I was talking to Ripplefoot recently, and she told me she found some thistles and roots in her bedding. I happen to remember that you were the last to do it, so..." Mistypaw flattened her ears. "Go replace the bedding, please, Mistypaw, then we're going on the sunhigh patrol." Stonepaw smirked at Mistypaw. "Oh, and Stonepaw? Since Eelspots seems to have neglected parts of your education, Sandstripe has assigned you and Brookpaw to the next two hunting patrols, and then you're to check the elders for ticks on your own and make sure they're fed before you eat." The apprentices all groaned loudly.

* * *

"All cats old enough to swim gather around the Wet Rock!" Brightkit squirmed as Sandstripe briskly groomed her brown fur, hissing slightly.

"Sandstripe, I don't want to be late to my own ceremony!" she complained.

"You're not going there dirty, either!" Sandstripe shot back, "Now hold still!" Brightkit rolled her eyes, but did as she was told. She was practically an apprentice already, for StarClan's sake! Apprentices washed their own fur, they didn't need their parents to do it. Nearby, Nightkit and Swiftkit were whining at their mother. Brightkit purred. A whole moon without those two annoying kits! The nursery was so crowded these days. And with four different queens to boss them around, they never had any time for adventures! Stonepaw had told her that a real warrior always had at least one adventure when they were a kit, and she'd believed him. Of course, Sandstripe had shut that one down, telling her that a true warrior was patient enough to wait until they were an apprentice to have adventures. So she'd waited. Brightkit was a trusting sort. Why would any cat lie to her?

Finally, Sandstripe pronounced them all clean, and Brightkit ran out with her littermates. She bounced with excitement. The other ceremonies seemed to zip by. She barely noticed the three oldest apprentices being named warriors, or her littermates getting their mentors. Then she heard her name.

"Brightkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Brightpaw. Your mentor will be Eelspots. I hope Eelspots will pass down all he knows on to you. Eelspots, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You had received excellent training from Volepelt, and you have shown yourself to be strong and enduring. You will be the mentor of (apprentice), and I expect you to pass on all you know to Brightpaw."

Brightpaw gasped, delighted. Eelspots was the best, Stonepaw-no, Stone_claw_, had said so! She would be the best warrior ever! She touched noses with the grumpy warrior, then stood proudly as the clan chanted her name along with her littermates.

* * *

**This chapter is more of a montouge of some important moments in Brightpaw's early life. You might notice that unlike most kits, she doesn't actually ever sneak out. Shes not a goody-goody, but she tends to be the sort of cat who will listen if shes told to do something...which can backfire enormously, as we'll find out. Some random backstory on Eelspots: Eelspots is one of the oldest cats in the clan who isn't an elder, since I try to organize warriors by seniority. He was an apprentice when Featherstar was a new warrior, and the two have always had a bit of an animosity. Eelspots is rather disdainful of females for reasons unknown as of yet, and he wasn't happy when their old leader chose Featherstar to succeed him, as he thought it wasn't a good position for a female to have. Because of this, even though hes a good warrior, Featherstar chose Sandstripe as her deputy, which annoyed him further. Featherstar assigned Eelspots Brightpaw as his first female apprentice, thinking that perhaps the two might work well together and that Brightpaw would get Eelspots to be less antagonistic towards other female warriors. She also chose the two because Eelspots has been shown to be a good warrior, as I said before, with a strong assertive personality, whereas Brightpaw is less independent and more naive, so she thinks as long as Eelspots gets over her being female, he can help her toughen up.**

**~Topaz**


	3. Chapter 2

**AN: I'm lazy so I don't feel like doing my traditional personalized replies to reviews, but it looks like I have my first review! Thank you, Macdisney123! I'm glad you like this story so far! Thank you also for favoriting/following! I hope this chapter is to your liking!**

**WARNING: The last part of this chapter has some implied non-consen stuff. I tried to steer around the actual details without doing what my inspiration fics did (Paw Pregnancy and Apprentice and Pregnant) did, which was either to avoid the events completely or to do it like humans. I try to keep it as true to sapient cats as possible. I'm weird that way.**

**~Topaz**

* * *

Brightpaw yawned, blinking sleepy eyes open as she stared around the den blearily. Then, with a squeak, she jumped up and started grooming herself rapidly. She couldn't believe she'd forgotten she was an apprentice!

"Brightpaw, be quiet!"

And there were six other apprentices to wake up. Right. Technically, there were seven other apprentices, but since there were so many apprentices, apparently Pebblefall was sleeping in the medicine cat den now. He didn't seem to mind it though. "Sorry!" she whispered, then tiptoed out, trying not to step on any of her denmates tails. Just before she reached the entrance of the den, Sandstripe poked her head in, looking absolutely gleeful for her first day back as full deputy.

"Good morning, apprentices!" she yowled. As the apprentices woke up for the second time, hissing and spitting at the two wake-up calls one after another, Sandstripe continued. "We've got a busy day ahead of us!"

"Good morning, Sandstripe!" Brightpaw replied happily. Sandstripe blinked at her, surprised at her daughters prompt wakefulness. Before the other apprentices could finish waking up, Brightpaw ran out, purring. She was determined to be the best apprentice ever, and that didn't include lazing about in her nest in the morning.

Outside at the freshkill pile, Eelspots was poking at a minnow. His eyes gleamed as she neared. "Eat up," he told her gruffly, tearing into the small fish with an almost savage-like hunger, "We're going on the dawn patrol. Then training. Lets see if we can toughen up those kit-soft claws of yours." Brightpaw wondered what he meant by that. Hunting? Fighting? Whatever it was, it must be awesome!

Brightpaw could barely hold in her excitement long enough to scarf down a small fish with shimmering green scales. Then she followed Eelspots to the entrance, where they met Darkstorm, Mudfoot, Cinderpaw, and Yellowpaw. As they went along the ShadowClan borders, Brightpaw couldn't help noticing that the other mentors didn't miss a chance for a lesson even while on patrol. Darkstorm was lecturing Cinderpaw on the strategies of ShadowClan, and Mudfoot was quizzing Yellowpaw on the different clan terrains and the pros and cons to fighting on each. Brightpaw glanced up at Eelspots, who was plodding along, his gaze stony. "Um...Eelspots?"

He glanced down at her, his ears flat. "What?" he snapped.

Brightpaw shrank back. "I was just...wondering if you had some sort of lesson for me while we patrol?"

"What nonsense," Eelspots scoffed, glancing disdainfully at her, "Who told you you needed that?" Before she could continue, he said, "A warriors job when on patrol is to be quiet and on the look-out for trouble, not yammer away." That made sense. Though Brightpaw wondered what he meant when he muttered under his breath, "_Females. They'll get us all killed._" Brightpaw decided that Eelspots was just in a bad mood. She'd get to learn something later, of course. Stoneclaw had been trained by Eelspots, and he was a great fighter. Eelspots must be doing the same for her, right? After all, she'd gotten the best mentor.

Some time later, after the patrol split up, Eelspots took her back out, to a clearing with a rock beside a small stream covered with moss. "What are we doing here?" Brightpaw asked, excited, "Learn to fight, learn how to catch a fish, learn-"

"-how to collect moss," Eelspots finished. Brightpaw stared at him. Eelspots smirked. "One of the fundemental steps to being a warrior is taking care of others," he continued, "So we collect moss for the nursery and the elders, and get them fresh beds." He went on to explain the best ways to collect moss, but Brightpaw barely heard him. Collecting moss for the elders? Was he joking? This must be some sort of test. She needed to have the patience of a true warrior. Maybe he was seeing if she could do the boring stuff without complaining before letting her do the harder stuff. Right. That was it. She definitely had the best mentor, then. He was testing her already, making her do challenging things without letting her forget who was boss. Well, she would show him.

* * *

A moon later, and Brightpaw had started to think that she had _not _gotten the best mentor. A whole moon, and all she'd learned were some defensive moves! He always claimed to be too busy to teach her to fight. She didn't even know the defense moves that well! Instead, she spent all her time hunting, whether it be to fill up the freshkill pile or hunting ticks out of the elders fur. Was Stoneclaw lying when he had said all those moons ago that Eelspots was the best fighter? No, she decided at last, going out for another load of fish. After all, a lot of what apprentices used in hunting was used in fighting, and she was one of the best swimmers in RiverClan thanks to Eelspots' patient coaching. Even with the apprentice den crowded, what with Swiftpaw and Nightpaw joining them, she was still the one bringing in the most fish. She was learning something.

"Hey, Brightpaw, wanna come hunting with us?" Behind Cinderpaw, Yellowpaw and Nightpaw were fake-tussling. Brightpaw wished she knew more fighting, so that she could play with them too. "We'll be going to the sandy pond afterwards so Yellowpaw can show us some new moves Mudfoot taught him. It'll be really fun."

Brightpaw hesitated. It sounded fun, but last time she'd went with them, she'd been sentenced to a week picking ticks out of the elders fur by Eelspots for leaving camp without permission. "Did you ask Sandstripe or your mentors?"

Cinderpaw shuffled a little, looking sheepish. "Well, not exactly, but I asked her if any of us are needed for patrols or training, and she said we won't be needed until sunhigh, and thats ages away! We'll be back way before then. So, are you in?"

Brightpaw was sorely tempted, but she couldn't. "I'm sorry, Cinderpaw, but Eelspots says..."

Cinderpaw rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, Eelspots says this, Eelspots says that. You gotta stop taking everything he says at face value, Brightpaw! Not every cat is as honest as you are! Remember when Stoneclaw told you all kits have to go on adventures to be real warriors?"

Brightpaw did remember, but she still retorted, "Well Eelspots is different, hes older and smarter!" She got up, sticking her nose in the air. "Have fun, Cinderpaw." Before Cinderpaw could reply, she walked away. How dare Cinderpaw insinuate that Eelspots would lie to her! Cinderpaw was a good friend, but she should really mind her own business!

"Brightpaw?" Brightpaw looked up eagerly at the sound of Eelspots approaching. For some reason, her mentor looked more secretive, a little less grumpy than usual. She wondered what that shine in his eyes was for. "Meet me at the sandy pond at moonhigh for some secret warrior training, okay?"

Brightpaw nodded. "Okay, Eelspots!" she meowed cheerfully.

"Shhh!" he hissed. "This is secret, remember?"

"Oh, right," Brightpaw whispered, "sorry. Secret." Eelspots nodded, then stalked away, switching his tail. Brightpaw watched him go, wondering what this "secret warrior training was." She'd never heard of it, after all. After a moment of thinking, Brightpaw smacked her head with her tail. Of course she didn't hear about it-it was called secret for a reason!

* * *

That night, Brightpaw stayed awake, waiting for everyone else to fall asleep. It seemed to take forever. Did her sisters always spend this long talking about their days? She'd never noticed before. Finally, Dawnpaw fell asleep, and Brightpaw sneaked out, unaware of the set of blue eyes watching her from one corner. She hurried to the sandy pond where they usually trained, hoping against hope that she wouldn't be late.

"I'm here, Eelspots, what is this secret training you were talking about-" she was cut off as a strange cat tackled her. She started to yowl loudly, but a tail was stuffed in her mouth. Then she recognized Eelspots and relaxed. He took his tail out of her mouth. "Oh, Eelspots, its just you-"

"Shh," he hissed, glaring at her with a look that made Brightpaw uneasy. Once she was quiet, he continued. "You're a good apprentice, aren't you, Brightpaw? You really want to be a warrior? I've decided that you deserve the special training. It'll be harder than others, but if you can go through this rite of passage, you'll be one of the best warriors. You want to be one of the best warriors, don't you?" For some reason, his tone of voice unnerved Brightpaw, but she nodded. "I'm going to do something to you, Brightpaw, and its going to hurt, but you need to let it happen because a true warrior doesn't fight it, okay? So don't fight me no matter how much it hurts." Brightpaw nodded, stubborn. He didn't have to keep reminding her! She was a true warrior!

Eelspots grasped her scruff and threw her down onto the ground. Before she could react, he tackled her again, this time seeming to focus on her rear. She had no idea what he was doing, but it hurt. When was he going to stop?

* * *

Brightpaw stumbled away from the clearing, feeling awful all over and not fully understanding what had just happened, but hoping that at least she'd passed. Before he'd told her to go back to her nest as if nothing happened, Eelspots told her that if she didn't pass she could try again. She really didn't want him to do that a second time. Brightpaw bit the thought back. If she had to go through that again, she would, because that was what a true warrior would do. StarClan bless her, no cat woke up as she crawled back to her and curled up, falling asleep and having dreams of Eelspots telling her she hadn't passed and wasn't a true warrior...not a true warrior...not a true...


	4. Chapter 3

ARE YOU READY ?! BECAUSE!

I!

AM!

BAAAACCCKKK!

My god, it's been years, hasn't it? At least two. So. Quick recap for those of you who read my stories.

I go to a private school in Brewster, NY. I guess you could say that's personal information, but I will plug my school everywhere, so whatever. The school year before last, at the end, my mom said, I don't think you guys can come back next year (meaning last school year). The tuition is flexible and complex, but we didn't have money for transportation.

SO. I spent the entire summer stressing over it and made TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS catsitting and went to school. On the train. Getting up at 4:30-5:00 in the morning. Ouch. So not much motivation to write. SORRY.

This year, however, things are different. Well, they're not and they are. I'm still taking the train, though my brother is too. I'm also TEACHING this year (video game programming once a week, a Greek history/mythology class co-teaching twice a week, LARP once a week also co-teaching), and I'm working on graduating, which means I need to write a scary thesis and defend it. And one of my goals is to, well, WRITE MORE. I know, I'm turning caps on a lot. I'm excited, sue me.

So one of my goals is writing fanfiction. It's relaxing-more so then my thesis and other stuff I need to write-and I like it. I went through my fanfics that I've written but never finished, and we'll see how many I finish/edit. The first one I'll be finishing is Breaking Bright. I like being mean to characters, I guess. Good thing I left all those meta notes, because I have NOTHING ELSE on them. So this will be completely different from what it was originally gonna end up, but I hope you still like it! I'll try to update on Mondays.

WARNING: The end of this chapter also has some non-consensual stuff.

~Topaz.

NOTES: Eelspots' father also disliked the idea of she-cats fighting. When Eelspots was a 'paw, his mother was in the nursery pregnant. A fight came up. Not many details are known at this point, but the clan was severely out-numbered and his mother left the nursery to fight. This tipped the balance in the clan's favor so that they ultimately won, but lost the life of both his mother and her unborn kits. Eelspots' father told him that his mother was selfish, risking her life and her kits for her clan when others not pregnant were fighting. This helped feed Eelspots' hatred of females fighting. The fact that Featherstar was a key part in winning the battle, further supporting her when she became deputy, didn't help.

* * *

A moon of training passed. Brightpaw assumed she had passed her secret warrior training, as she hadn't needed any more. Not only that, but Eelspots had started teaching her how to fight, albeit slowly. He insisted she get each move perfect before he moved on to the next, which meant she'd only learned a pawful of moves. But when she'd complained, he'd hissed. "A warrior does not win by knowing more moves than his enemy," he had told her, "but by knowing moves _better _than his enemy." Since that made sense, she hadn't complained since, instead training harder and longer.

One morning in leaf fall, the apprentices were woken up not by their mentors one or two at a time, but all at once. "Good morning, apprentices!"

Featherstar was not a loud cat, but her voice carried an authoritative tone that challenged any of them to dawdle. Brightpaw barely paused to tame a clump of fur sticking up the wrong way before she left the den. Sitting with Featherstar were the mentors of all the apprentices, along with Brightpaw's mother. Brightpaw wondered if they were in trouble for something. She couldn't think of anything she'd done recently. Well, she'd taken the last mouse off the freshkill pile when she knew the elders hadn't eaten yet, but she didn't think anyone caught her for that. Frostheart caught Brightpaw's eye and gave her a warm look. That made Brightpaw relax a little.

"Cinderpaw, Shellpaw, and Yellowpaw know this already, so I'll just explain it to the rest of you. Every few moons all the apprentices are given assessments to make sure they're learning what they're supposed to be, usually when one or more are wrapping up their apprenticeship. This is an assessment of not just the apprentice, but the mentor, as what you have learned depends on what your mentor teaches you. We'll begin with the dawn patrol. Eelspots, you will lead one dawn patrol along the Shadowclan border with Brightpaw, Darkstorm, Cinderpaw, Stoneclaw, and Swiftpaw. Troutface, lead the other patrol with myself, Scorchpaw, Nightpaw, Mudfoot, and Yellowpaw. Mossflower, I want you to go along the final border. We haven't patrolled there for a while, and some loners might have forgotten that this land belongs to us. Take Dawnpaw, Hawkclaw, Shellpaw, Blueshine, and Otterpaw." Brightpaw bounced in excitement. She knew this assessment wasn't the last one-Cinderpaw, Shellpaw, and Yellowpaw were the ones who would become warriors. Still, it was one step closer to being a warrior. She hoped she would make Eelspots proud.

They were halfway along the border when trouble struck. Eelspots had stopped the patrol just short of the greenleaf twolegplace and was about to send Stoneclaw to make sure no twolegs were there. Then they heard a bird's squawk cut short, like it had just been caught. The senior warriors exchanged glances. RiverClan almost never hunted birds, and certainly not in the middle of leaf fall when the fish were still swimming. The only explanation was a trespasser. Darkstorm was sent off to scout the area.

He returned almost at once, bristling. "A couple of warriors hunting on our territory."

Eelspots' eyes glowed. From Brightpaw's perspective, it seemed like he was looking forward to a fight. "Darkstorm, take Cinderpaw and Swiftpaw and tell them to leave. If they don't leave, send Swiftpaw back to camp for reinforcements. They'll think they outnumber you and relax. That's when you call us in. If we cant finish them off, Swiftpaw should bring back enough warriors to outnumber them. Got it?"

Darkstorm nodded, his eyes blazing. The two apprentices followed him through the brush. A minute later Brightpaw heard angry yowls, then the start of a scuffle. She shuffled discontentedly, wanting to go help, but knowing she would be in trouble if she joined the fight before she was told to. Finally, a small white dart told her that Swiftpaw was going off for reinforcements, and Eelspots snarled, "Lets go!" Racing to catch up, Brightpaw launched herself at the first cat she saw. "Mangy frog-brain!" she yowled. The cat she landed on was much bigger, but clearly young, perhaps a moon out of apprenticeship. He hissed and lashed out, leaving a a line of red down her pelt that burned. Furious, she ducked under his next blow and reached a paw out, planning on knocking him off his paws. Unfortunately, she wasn't strong enough to displace him. Before she could try a different move, he grabbed her scruff and shook violently, caused her to become extremely disoriented. Then he dropped her to the ground with a thud. Satisfied that she was incapable of attacking another of his clanmates, he backed up and became engaged with another struggle. Brightpaw saw none of this, nor did she see him finally flee, missing multiple chunks of fur. She lay there, dazed, for quite some time.

* * *

Featherstar paced in front of the ShadowClan border patrol, her tail twitching. The old leader was not happy. Brightpaw hoped she wasn't in too much trouble. She had tried her best. "I can't believe the nerve of ShadowClan," Featherstar hissed, "Openly sending out hunting patrols to our territory." Featherstar stopped and faced them. "Swiftpaw." The small tom looked up at her, nervous. Brightpaw hoped he was getting called out on his cowardice. She hadn't seen him in the battle at all! He'd probably used the messenger role as an excuse to avoid a fight. "I command you for your speed in calling in reinforcements. Without this, your clanmates would have been much more hurt." Swiftpaw's eyes lit up, while Brightpaw flattened her ears in annoyance. He got all the credit.

"I would have gone back if I could have!" Swiftpaw said hastily. Liar, Brightpaw thought.

Featherstar rested her tail on his flank. "Swiftpaw, this was your first battle. Not only that, you have had a moon of training. No cat expects you to be ready to fight. You did well, and you have been trained well." Both Swiftpaw and Stoneclaw looked proud at that statement. Featherstar moved on. Darkstorm, Stoneclaw, and the cats who had been called by Swiftpaw to help drive out the intruders all got similar messages. Then Featherstar reached Eelspots.

Brightpaw was made nervous for her mentor by Featherstar's eyes. They were steely and cold, guarding any thoughts from others. "Eelspots. I am disappointed in you." Brightpaw's eyes widened. What had her mentor done wrong that Featherstar would publicly call him out on it? "When I appointed you as Brightpaw's mentor, I had every reason to believe you would be a great mentor to her. You certainly trained Stoneclaw to be a great warrior, the kind of warrior our clan needs. Yet today I have seen that your training methods are suddenly changed to someone almost the opposite of you. Young Brightpaw fought through instinct, not training, and any warrior here can say that instinct will not win a battle. If her training remains the way it is now, she'll be lucky to become a warrior in six more moons, rather then four."

Brightpaw looked down at the ground. Did she really fight that badly? She didn't want Eelspots to be blamed for her idiocy, but she couldn't think of any way to defend him that Featherstar would listen to. Instead, she stood there as Featherstar continued to lecture Eelspots, Brightpaw feeling worse and worse with every word. "Starting tomorrow, you are to do no training without a second cat watching to make sure it's done properly. At the end of Brightpaw's apprenticeship, we'll discuss whether you're capable of having another apprentice or not." Brightpaw sneaked a look at Eelspots. His face was stony. Cringing, Brightpaw thought to herself, _I'll just have to train twice as hard to make up for today. _

Once Featherstar was done and every cat had left, Eelspots bent down to whisper in her ear. "The sandy pond at moonhigh tonight. Don't forget." Then he left. Brightpaw fought to keep from wailing in despair. She had really thought she did well!

"Rest for now." Brightpaw looked up to see Goldensky checking her scratches with a look of disinterest. You were pretty shaken up by that warrior before. You should be able to go back to the apprentices den by the time the sunhigh patrol comes back." Brightpaw watched the old tom pad over to check on Cinderpaw, who had been scratched up a bit more then Brightpaw but looked gleeful. Featherstar hadn't said anything about the assessment, but according to Cinderpaw, she had overheard Featherstar tell Sandstripe they would have a warrior ceremony after the sunhigh patrol returned.

* * *

"Cinderfrost! Yellowstorm! Shellwhisker!" Brightpaw raised her voice to cheer for the newest warriors. After training next to them for two moons, she was happy to see them become full warriors. She could see Featherstar's pride in her son and daughter as the leader raised her voice in cheers.

Even with the border skirmish that morning, the clan feasted that night in honor of their three newest warriors. Brightpaw begged off sharing tongues with her denmates afterwards, using the battle as an excuse. If tonight's secret warrior training was anything like the last, she wanted to rest. She ate most of a trout, giving the rest to her brother, then lay down. The next thing she knew, she woke up to almost moonhigh. Rushing to get to the sandy pond without being noticed, she only barely made it on time.

"Did any cat see you?" Eelspots growled.

"No," Brightpaw replied meekly.

"Then it's time." Brightpaw shut her eyes tight and didn't fight Eelspots as he attacked her in that odd way. No matter how much her instincts screamed for her to get away, she stayed as still as possible. Even so, it hurt more then last time, and he wasn't bothering to avoid drawing blood when he grabbed her scruff. By the time he was done, she felt ready to join StarClan there and then. Instead, she cleaned the blood off her scruff and the spots where he had scratched her when she jerked or almost pushed him away, then slunk back to her nest to sleep. _Please, StarClan, let me do better. I don't want to let Eelspots down again._

* * *

**_Allegiances_**

**RiverClan**

Leader

Featherstar - pale grey tabby she-cat with yellow eyes and long fur (named Featherkit at birth because her ears/tail were extremely fluffy and active for a just born kitten, 4/9 lives left)

_Apprentice, Scorchpaw_

Deputy

Sandstripe - cream tabby she-cat with yellow eyes and red paws/tail tip

Medicine Cat

Goldensky - Black tom with ginger-brown tabby-tortie pattern and green eyes

_Apprentice, Pebblefall_

Warriors (toms and she-cats without kits)

Snowbelly - light brown tabby tom with several white streaks along his belly from a battle when he was an apprentice

Eelspots - dark brown tom with pale brown and grey spots and amber eyes

_Apprentice, Brightpaw_

Troutface - pale silver tabby tom with blue eyes and black paws (named because hes really good at catching trout, and went around bragging that he was so much more handsome than the others, that the fish leaped to their deaths for his face. Featherstar named him that to humble him, but after a while it stopped feeling like a cruel name and more like his name. Sort of mates with Sandstripe?)

_Apprentice, Nightpaw_

Frostheart - silver tabby she-cat with yellow eyes (mates with Sandstripe)

Mossflower - dark brown tabby she-cat with copper eyes

_Apprentice, Dawnpaw_

Rainears - dark blue-grey tom with blue eyes

Darkstorm - black tom with yellow eyes

Blueshine - deep blue-grey she-cat with yellow eyes

_Apprentice, Otterpaw_

Mudfoot - dark brown tom with amber eyes (son of Eelspots and Dawnpool)

Hawkclaw - black tom with blue eyes (named when he saved some kits from a bird of some sort-possibly a heron)

Stoneclaw - dark grey tabby tom with yellow eyes (son of Troutface and Mossflower)

_Apprentice, Swiftpaw_

Brookleap - pale brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes (daughter of Troutface and Mossflower)

Cinderfrost - pale grey she-cat with blue eyes (Daughter of Snowbelly and Featherstar)

Shellwhisker - Fawn spotted tabby tom with amber eyes (Son of Snowbelly and Featherstar)

Yellowstorm - Lilac-grey tabby tom with copper eyes (son of Dawnpool and unknown tom)

Apprentices

Pebblefall - dark grey spotted tabby tom with yellow eyes (son of Darkstorm and Lilystep)

Otterpaw - dark grey tabby she-cat with yellow eyes (daughter of Sandstripe and Troutface/Frostheart)

Dawnpaw - cream tabby she-cat with yellow eyes (daughter of Sandstripe and Troutface/Frostheart)

Scorchpaw - deep ginger tabby tom with amber eyes (son of Sandstripe and Troutface/Frostheart)

Brightpaw - cinnamon tabby she-cat with blue eyes (daughter of Sandstripe and Troutface/Frostheart)

Nightpaw - brown white-speckled she-cat with blue eyes (daughter of Rainears and Lilystep)

Swiftpaw - skinny white tom with blue eyes (son of Rainears and Lilystep)

Queens

Mistystream - pale blue-grey she-cat with green eyes, mother of Stoneclaw's kits: Silverkit (pale grey she-cat with yellow eyes), Greykit (dark grey she-cat with yellow eyes), and Smokekit (dark grey tabby tom with blue eyes)

Lilystep - white she-cat with silver spotted tabby markings and blue eyes

Dawnpool - golden-brown tabby she-cat with green eyes, mother of Eelspots' kits: Adderkit (dark brown spotted tabby she-cat with yellow eyes), Pricklekit (dark brown tom with yellow eyes), Specklekit (golden-brown spotted tabby tom with yellow eyes), and Lizardkit (black tom with green eyes)

Elders

Blackwater - black tom with grey-speckled fur and yellow eyes (father of Sandstripe and Goldensky)

Volefur - deep blue-grey tom with greying muzzle and blue eyes

Ripplefoot - dark brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes and mangled right back leg from some twoleg rubbish

**ThunderClan**

Leader

Hollystar - golden-brown tabby she-cat with yellow eyes

Deputy

Oakclaw - dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Medicine Cat

Mintstorm - pale grey tom with white paws and blue eyes

_Apprentice, Fallowpaw (pale brown tabby she-cat with green eyes)_

**ShadowClan**

Leader

Sunstar - dark ginger tabby tom with yellow eyes

_Apprentice, Owlpaw (white tom with pale brown speckled pelt and yellow eyes)_

Deputy

Stormheart - dark grey tom with blue eyes

Medicine Cat

Sharpnose - tawny brown tom with brindled pelt and amber eyes

**WindClan**

Leader

Harestar - pale brown tom with yellow eyes

Deputy

Runningheart - white tom with one orange eye and one blue eye

_Apprentice, Falconpaw (brown tabby tom with amber eyes)_

Medicine Cat

Mintflower - silver tabby she-cat with green eyes

* * *

Well Eelspots is a dick. Does anyone disagree? No? Didn't think so. The allegiances are because of all the changes. If you like what you read, please follow/favorite and/or review!

~Topaz


	5. Chapter 4

**Alright, another week, another chapter. Let's see how long the streak will last! Reminder for everyone (and myself) it has been two moons since Brightpaw began training, making her and her littermates eight moons old, and her younger denmates about seven moons old.**

**I'm feeling like responding to a review, so lets see...Oooh, a review!**

**ImSpiderman wrote: "Eelspots is a sexist, rapist, horrible turd! I seriously want to just dump him in the Dark Forest for a "playdate" with the cats there. I think everyone would enjoy that. My Spidy Senses are tingling in the fact that Brightpaw might get preggers, and that when/if they look like Eelspots everyone will hate him. At least more than Featherstar already does that is."**

**My reply: "I completely agree. Makes you wonder why Dawnpool decided to mate with him twice (yes, they were both her decision, she likes having kits). And that would be very enjoyable, I agree. Your Spidy Senses...or the reference to two fanfics where an apprentice has kits? Featherstar doesn't really hate Eelspots...much. She definitely hates him as a mentor now."**

**Before I forget (again), Featherstar, the disclaimer?**

**Featherstar: -_- Topaz does not own Warrior Cats. It belongs to Erin Hunter. However, this plot and all the characters in this plot belong to Topaz. Do not use without permission.**

**Me: Why thank you, darling.**

**Featherstar: Can I go now?**

**~Topaz**

* * *

"Brightpaw, it's time for training!" Brightpaw groaned and wriggled deeper into her nest, wishing she could make herself invisible. It didn't work. "Brightpaw!" She flattened her ears at Eelspots' growl, then darted out of the den to stand in front of him. He glared down. "About time." Brightpaw followed him over to the group, trying to ignore the cramp in her belly. She didn't feel well at all, with her stomach pinching and twisting. It was probably from over-eating. She knew she shouldn't have had that second fish, but they were so small she'd figured they might as well be one! Her stomach didn't think so, though.

"Today we'll be hunting. You will go off in pairs and hunt together. You need to collectively bring in three pieces of prey, be it fish, voles, or mice." Brightpaw listened as Otterpaw got paired up with Dawnpaw, Scorchpaw got paired up with Nightpaw, and Brightpaw with Swiftpaw. She wanted to complain, but didn't. She didn't really have any justifiable reason to dislike Swiftpaw. He was just...cheerful. Ever since they'd been kits. Eager to please, but diving into stuff headfirst. Brightpaw tried to listen to others, and thought things through. Swiftpaw's headstrong way of never paying mind to others was going to get him in trouble one day, she was sure of it. He probably hadn't even earned his secret warrior training yet. That made Brightpaw feel better. She knew something he didn't.

"Nightpaw, you and Scorchpaw take the area near the greenleaf twolegplace." Brightpaw glanced at her brother and saw him glance at Nightpaw, his expression nervous. She suppressed a purr. He liked her! She was sure of it. "Dawnpaw and Otterpaw, take (place with river/stream). Swiftpaw and Brightpaw, you two will be by the horseplace. The marsh should have some prey there." Brightpaw glanced at Swiftpaw. She didn't know about him, but she hated marsh hunting. Between the mud and the water that was almost everywhere, making sneaking up on prey much harder, it was a pain in the tail. She liked swimming as much as the next RiverClan cat, but this wasn't swimming, it was splashing. "Alright, now go!" The apprentices split up and went in their different paths.

Once they reached the marsh, Swiftpaw turned to face Brightpaw. His face shone with excitement, and Brightpaw found herself looking forward to the hunt despite herself. "Do you want to hunt together or separately to start out? I think as long as we catch one piece working together they'll be fine with either." Brightpaw wavered. On the one paw, Eelspots would probably rather she hunt by herself. He hated group hunting, he'd told her it always ended up in one cat lazing about while the other does all the work. She worried Swiftpaw would probably do that. But she hated hunting in the marsh, and having a fellow apprentice with her would be nice, even if it were just Swiftpaw.

"I guess we can hunt together," she finally said, trying to sound as if she were allowing him to tag along with her.

Swiftpaw purred. "Great!" He lifted his muzzle, sniffing deeply. "There's a vole that way!" Swiftpaw ran into a clump of reeds, his tail waving behind him. A minute later, a small grey shape escaped through the reeds. Before it could vanish, Brightpaw darted forward and captured it between her paws. She bent down and nipped the voles neck, killing it instantly.

Swiftpaw slunk back. "It got away." His ears pricked up when he saw the vole at Brightpaw's paws. "Oh, you caught it!"

Brightpaw purred. Swiftpaw was too eager for his own good sometimes. "Next time, try to be more careful. The marsh is easy to make your being here obvious."

Swiftpaw cocked his head to one side, thinking the matter over. "Oh, that makes sense. Stoneclaw hasn't taught me about marsh hunting yet."

Brightpaw rolled her eyes. Of course he hadn't learned how to marsh hunt. At least Eelspots had taught her how to marsh hunt. "Just remember to step lightly and make sure you don't brush the reeds with your tail." Swiftpaw nodded. Seeing the interest in his eyes as he listened to her made Brightpaw feel warm all over.

Shoving the feeling away, she opened her mouth and looked around, scenting for prey. "There's a shrew over there. Try to get it." Swiftpaw glanced at her nervously. _He looks as anxious as I felt the first time I was marsh hunting, _Brightpaw thought, and she gave him an encouraging look. Swiftpaw dropped into the hunter's crouch. After a second, he stilled his tail. Opening his mouth to be able to scent the shrew Brightpaw had pointed him towards, he turned his head until he located it. Then he started stalking it. Brightpaw watched him approach the clump of reeds the shrew was hiding in, then dart into it, claws out. She didn't see Swiftpaw strike, but she saw the second escape past him. Before it could disappear, she killed it. She was about to scold Swiftpaw for letting two potential kills get past him, when he backed out of the reeds with not an empty jaw like she'd expected, but with three shrews dangling from his muzzle. Her eyes widened. "How'd you manage that?"

Swiftpaw purred at her surprised expression. "There was a nest." Now that Swiftpaw mentioned it, Brightpaw could see that two of the shrews he held were about half the size of the others. Still, she couldn't help being impressed. "We might as well head back, then," Swiftpaw said, "Right?"

"You think?" Brightpaw glared at him, but it wasn't a genuine glare. She picked up the shrew and the vole she'd caught and led the way back to where they'd started. Swiftpaw raced to catch up. Once he was walking next to her, he reached out his tail and tickled her ear. Brightpaw jerked away. "Hey!" She stopped in her path, dropping the freshkill and turning to shoot him a glare. "What was that for?"

Swiftpaw had a twinkle in his eye as he looked at her. "WindClan intruder!" He tackled her and started batting at her playfully. For a moment she stiffened. It felt just like right before Eelspots' secret warrior training. Then she relaxed and batted him back.

"WindClan intruder yourself!" They tussled for a few minutes before both remembered the job they'd been sent out to do. Grabbing up the prey, Brightpaw started back to meet their mentors, Swiftpaw following a second after. Glancing back, Brightpaw saw Swiftpaw attempt to walk with three shrews dangling from his mouth. It wasn't going so well. He kept tripping over them. Brightpaw purred with amusement, then turned her attention back to not getting lost in the marsh.

It was funny, all this time, she'd been so busy finding Swiftpaw annoying, she hadn't even really gotten to know him. She'd thought hunting together would be horrible, but it actually turned out pretty fun. She couldn't even remember why she hadn't liked him in the first place, other then when they were kits and she got in trouble for clawing him because he was following her everywhere. At the time, she'd been angry because he would never leave her along and their mothers had told her that she should be nicer because he looked up to her. Now she felt bad for never having gotten to know him. Maybe that could change.

* * *

**SO THAT HAPPENED. Goodness gracious that was exhausting. I actually had a plot-filled chapter planned and written, but then I realized that I needed Brightpaw to have friends other than her sisters and I did't have nearly enough interaction with Brightpaw and other cats, so this chapter was born! Like a day before publishing. I literally finished writing it twenty minutes before I posted it, so mistakes are likely. I try to avoid telling instead of showing, so I wanted to show a friendship developing between Swiftpaw and Brightpaw. I know I haven't shown much of one before, so there is more telling than there should be, but I hope this works! Before now, Brightpaw had considered Swiftpaw childish-sort of a "you were born a month/year/small amount of time after me, so I consider myself vastly more mature than you" thing-but now she's starting to warm up to him. **

**Also, don't worry, I plan on posting two chapters today, not just one. I'm WAY ahead of schedule, so I see no reason to deprive you people of the next thrilling adventure of Brightpaw!**

**~Topaz**


	6. Chapter 5

**Happy Rosh Hashanah to those who celebrate it! As promised, here is the second chapter for Monday, the third. I considered posting this later in the week, but I'd rather post multiple times on the day that I assigned for updating, then multiple days. I know, it's weird. That's just me.**

**~Topaz**

* * *

"Faster!" Brightpaw flinched at the venom in Eelspots' voice. Since the assessment, Eelspots had been even harder on her then before. Glancing at Darkstorm, she saw the older tom was narrowing his eyes at Eelspots, though not saying anything. With a small inner sigh, Brightpaw went through the move again, ignoring a sharp cramp as she did so. After three more goes, Eelspots judged it satisfactory and moved onto the next technique.

On the way back from the sun high patrol, Brightpaw looked around. Where were the apprentices? Pebblefall was in the medicine cat's den, sorting through musty looking leaves, but he didn't count, not really. Where was Swiftpaw? He was almost always in camp, usually on tick duty for doing something his mentor had just told him not to. Just as she was about to leave camp to search for the other apprentices, she heard her name being called. "Hey Brightpaw!" Brightpaw looked up to see Dawnpool approach. "Come into the leader's den, you and the other apprentices are having a special training today." This intrigued Brightpaw, and she followed willingly enough behind Dawnpool.

Entering Featherstar's den, Brightpaw looked around in wonder. The leader's den was rather large, considering the only cats who slept in it regularly were the leader and whoever the leader's mate was. True, meetings were often held in here, but still. She walked over to sit with the other apprentices. Swiftpaw leaned past the others to give her a happy look. "Hi, Brightpaw!"

Brightpaw sighed. She knew Swiftpaw was just being friendly, but sometimes he could be really annoying. "Hi, Swiftpaw." Her stomach felt pinched and painful, and she was cramping like she'd eaten something too fast. However, it didn't seem likely that she could get out of this lesson with that excuse. She would just have to put up with the pain.

"Hello, apprentices." Featherstar came in and sat on the other side of the den facing them, leaving plenty of space in between. Brightpaw wondered why, until she saw Dawnpool, Goldensky, and Snowbelly come in as well and sit next to her. This left a little bit of space in the middle of the den. There must be a demonstration or something, Brightpaw thought. Though why Goldensky was in there, she didn't know. Featherstar had a serious look on her face. "This is an important lesson, one that is taught to all of you at once, to avoid you youngesters spreading misinformation among your peers. Because of this, we wait until the youngest among you have completed your first moon of training. Now that Nightpaw and Swiftpaw are one moon into their training, it's time."

Featherstar nodded at Dawnpool, who sat a little straighter. She looked almost embarrassed. "We used to leave this lesson up to the nursery queens themselves to tell their kits, but not all queens are willing to explain, so this was put in place. Who among you know what happens when a she-cat has kits?" Brightpaw flattened her ears. THAT was what they were discussing? Nightpaw raised a paw, jumping up and down to get Dawnpool's attention. "Yes, Nightpaw?"

Nightpaw puffed her chest out a bit. "Lilystep said that she-cats have a special den inside of them for kits who aren't born yet that helps take care of them until they're born. When kits are born, they go through something called a birth canal that the she-cat has to open for them, and that's why it hurts so much." Brightpaw glanced over at Nightpaw dubiously. That didn't make any sense. Even a den for kits would be the size of Featherstar, right? Brightpaw had never seen a she-cat give birth, but Nightpaw's story seemed unlikely.

Dawnpool purred. "That's sort of right, Nightpaw." Nightpaw drooped a little. "No, that was good! Here, I'll explain the rest. When kits are born, there are some important differences..." Dawnpool went on to explain the inner and outer differences of toms and she-cats, greatly embarrassing all the apprentices, as well as briefly touching on cats who identified as a different gender then their sex. It turned out that starting at about eight or nine moons old, though it could start as young as five moons, she-cats started to have regular heats in which their body pressured them to have kits, but, "Your body doesn't know that it's not ready to have kits yet. Until you become a warrior, having kits would be very dangerous, and even then it's recommended that you wait a few moons to fully grow. Instead, Goldensky has an herb mixture to prevent going into heat that you can get when you think your heat is starting." Goldensky passed out a few herbs for them to smell and explained how they worked. "When you do have kits, your body will go into overdrive to help nourish those kits. You'll experience cramps and pain at the beginning of the pregnancy, along with fatigue. Later on there is bloating and stomach growth, as the uterus stretches to fit your growing kits, and you'll need to eat more." With every word Brightpaw wanted to sink into the ground more and more. At the same time, the beginning part sounded...familiar. "Now, not all pregnancies end in kits-some kits will die while still in the uterus. And there are illnesses that cause it-the beginning stages of pregnancy often get mixed up with trapped wind, and vice versa. Still, if you're not sure, you should check with the medicine cat. They know the signs of pregnancy better than we do."

"Dawnpool?" Brightpaw looked over to see Otterpaw look embarrassed. "You said how we're different and how heats work and how kits are grown inside the ut-utra-uterus...but how do they get there?" She looked immensely embarrassed.

Dawnpool purred. "That's fine, Otterpaw. We're discussing that now. Goldensky, you can go now, thank you." The medicine cat picked up his herbs and left. "When a she-cat wants to have kits, generally it's with another cat who she's mates with, like Snowbelly and Featherstar, Stoneclaw and Mistystream, or Troutface and Mossflower. Other times, a she-cat would like kits, but has no mate, or a mate who can't father kits, so finds a tom willing to father her kits with no strings attached, like Sandstripe and Frostheart having Troutface father their kits, or Lilystep having Pebblefall with Darkstorm. The only thing to remember is that both cats must be willing. A she-cat may give off signs that she wants to mate, especially if she's in heat, but she still has to be willing, or else it's rape. Rape is not in the warrior code, but that doesn't make it okay. Cats have been exiled from their clan or worse if they rape a fellow clanmate or even a cat from another clan. Now that you know the consent rules, this is how mating works." And Dawnpool proceeded to explain. Most of the apprentices watched only a bit of the demonstration before covering their eyes. Brightpaw couldn't close her eyes. That was mating? Eelspots had-she choked the words back mentally. He had-raped her? She didn't realize she was rocking back and forth until she felt a shake.

"Brightpaw? Brightpaw, it's over!" She couldn't respond. She couldn't believe that Eelspots-her own mentor-had done that to her. And he knew how it worked, he'd had kits with Dawnpool. Oh StarClan...kits. Was she going to have kits? Would she die?

"Brightpaw!" Brightpaw gasped and shot up, turning to stare at the cat who'd bitten her in shock. It was her mother. Anything she was about to say was forgotten. Sandstripe looked terrified for her daughter. She pulled Brightpaw in close. "What's wrong? Brightpaw, tell me."

Brightpaw couldn't. Eelspots may have done-done _that _to her, but she couldn't say. What if they said she was lying? She was just an apprentice after all. Plus, maybe Eelspots had thought she said yes. Maybe, maybe, maybe. She couldn't know. She probably had said yes in some way, which meant it wasn't his fault. And she wasn't in heat, whatever that meant, so she wouldn't have kits! She was pretty sure. It didn't matter, he wouldn't get in trouble. She just needed to train harder and not tell any cat. "I just got scared," she finally replied, her voice shaking, "It looked like he was hurting her. I'm okay now. I'm okay."

* * *

It had been almost a moon since the border skirmish and the lesson about reproduction. Brightpaw had been training hard ever since, but it was hard since she was getting increasingly more fatigued with every day that passed. One night she was so tired she fell asleep and missed the sundown patrol, another time she was so tired that Eelspots kept her out all day before she was able to catch a single fish. She knew her denmates were worried about her, and she saw Frostheart watching her carefully, but she didn't know why. She was just not sleeping well.

"Brightpaw!" Brightpaw blinked hard and looked up at Dawnpaw. She yawned. "Brightpaw, are you alright?" Dawnpaw's yellow eyes were wide with concern. "You went to sleep last night without eating. Hurry up and eat before the dawn patrol! Eelspots won't be happy if he has to wait."

Brightpaw flinched at her mentor's name, then nodded. "Alright...thanks Dawnpaw." She brushed muzzles with her sister briefly, then went out and over to the freshkill pile. There was a large silver pike almost the size of Brightpaw on the top that was calling to her. Yanking it down, she started to eat it in quick, neat bites.

"Looks like you're hungry." Brightpaw looked up guiltily to see Goldensky looked at her oddly. "Mind sharing it with Pebblefall? I want to take a look at you. You've been worrying your clanmates for some time. I just want to make sure there isn't anything to be concerned over."

"But I have dawn patrol," Brightpaw pointed out, rather sensibly, she thought.

"I've already informed your mentor you'll be needed with me for most of today. Even if nothing is really wrong, you clearly haven't been sleeping enough, so you'll be resting today." Without waiting for a response, he grabbed the pike and walked towards the medicine cat's den. It didn't seem like she had a choice. Brightpaw followed Goldensky, her tail drooping.

* * *

**What could Goldensky want? Does he suspect something? Find out next week in Breaking Bright! :p**

**Also, if anyone wants to suggest a cat, they can! I love when readers interact with the story, and there are a lot of cats to create! So if you read it and go, Otterpaw should have a daughter named Bluekit who's a blue tabby with yellow eyes and is super mean to everyone, you can! Well, you can't suggest Bluekit, since I literally just made her up for an example, but you could suggest something else.**

**QUESTION: Who do YOU ship Brightpaw with? Answer in the reviews and you'll win the fabulous prize! VIRTUAL COOKIE CATS!**


	7. Chapter 6

**Hello hello hello! Another Monday, another chapter! Or two. I haven't decided whether I'll be gracious enough to grant two chapters this week. I am quite a bit ahead...**

**WOAH. Three reviews already! Alright, then! Review reply time**

**ImSpiderman wrote: "****I ship Brightpaw with no one so far. Anyone but Eelspots will do. I still want to rip him a new one."**

**My reply: "Fair enough. I wouldn't ship anyone with Eelspots, either. Glad to see a recurring reader/reviewer!"**

**Pandean wrote: "****I really like this fic! It's kinda messed up but in a good way! ...That didn't come out well. I mean I like it because it's dark and twisted but also has the right shade of non dark stuff too! I've never read a fic with a pregnant apprentice before. Anyway, I do really like this!**

**Some cats, I guess:**

**Nettlekit: golden brown she-kit with black flecks and amber eyes. Spitfire, tends to be moody, enjoys being alone. Former rogue or daughter of whatever cat you want."**

**My reply: "I totally understand that. Sometimes (Read: always) I love reading dark fanfiction just to see the twisted side of the fandom. I've read two fanfics before with pregnant apprentices, and personally I'd count this as my third fanfic that I'm reading, since I love reading my own fanfic. Since I'm practically pantsing this, it really is like reading another person's story, except my theories are actually likely to end up in the story. Glad you like it! Also, thanks for the kit, I know sometimes people like to suggest kits and other cats so I thought I'd openly endorse it. I'm not sure who she'll be yet, but I already have some ideas. Mind if I tweak her a bit? Here's a virtual cookie cat! :3 Thanks for the favorite/follow!"**

**Crazywarriorsfan wrote: "PUT MORE I WANNA SEE SOME PAW PREGNANCY"**

**My reply: "Always nice to see an enthusiastic reader. As for the put more, well, here's the next chapter!"**

**~Topaz **

* * *

Brightpaw sat down in the den, her eyes never leaving the pike. She knew it was silly, but she was so hungry. Noticing the look, Goldensky put the fish down in front of Brightpaw, then watched her eat for a few minutes, his expression bemused. "Don't forget to save some for Pebblefall. Tell me how you've been feeling."

Brightpaw looked down and swallowed the bite of fish she'd been chewing. A minute before, it had tasted like the freshest fish she'd ever eaten. Now it felt like a stone in her stomach. "I...I guess I've been feeling more tired then usual." She glanced over at the entrance and saw Pebblefall walk in, fuzzy leaves in his jaw.

"Ah, you're back." Goldensky never looked away from Brightpaw. "Pebblefall, once you sort through those herbs, put half out to dry and the other half away. There's half a pike for you here. Brightpaw, have you been eating enough?" Goldensky asked gently. Brightpaw avoided his gaze, hot with embarrassment, and shook her head. "Alright. I'm just trying to figure out what's wrong, Brightpaw, there's nothing to be embarrassed over."

"Goldensky?" Blueshine poked her head through the den entrance. "Could I talk to you?"

Goldensky nodded. "Brightpaw, you wait here." Brightpaw sat and watched as Goldensky trotted over to talk to Blueshine. "What's wrong?"

"Well, I've been feeling fatigued, and I have a noticeable increase in appetite. I've been feeling painful cramps, too. I threw up yesterday in the middle of sun-high patrol, and I'm getting cramps all the time." Brightpaw perked up a bit and looked over at Goldensky, wondering what he would say. It sounded exactly like how she had been feeling, minus the throwing up part. "I'm also starting to put on some...some weight." Blueshine said this last part very quietly.

"Hmmm..." Goldensky prodded Blueshine's belly, then put his ear to it, then nosed it gently. When he stood up, he was purring. "Congratulations, Blueshine! You're expecting kits. I'd say they're due in a little over a moon. Who's the lucky tom?" Brightpaw didn't hear Blueshine's answer. Pregnant? Blueshine had almost exactly the same symptoms as Brightpaw! Did that mean Brightpaw was pregnant? With...Brightpaw didn't even want to think his name. She couldn't.

"Alright, Blueshine's gone, lets get back to...Brightpaw?" Brightpaw was hyperventilating. "Brightpaw!" Brightpaw sat there, frozen, panicking. Then she smelled a sharp minty smell.

"Huh?" She looked up to see Goldensky shoving mint in her face, worry in his eyes. "What's wrong?"

"You started panicking," Goldensky said. "Come on, let me finish." Brightpaw didn't say anything. "Okay, Pebblefall, come here. Brightpaw has been showing signs of fatigue and irregular sleep patterns. What do you ask her next?"

"You're only asking me because you forgot," Pebblefall grumbled good-naturedly. He looked down at Brightpaw. "Any cramps? Stomach pain?" Brightpaw nodded, still not saying anything. Now Pebblefall looked worried. "Did you eat a tough piece of freshkill lately?" Brightpaw shook her head, mute. She didn't know what she would say if she opened her mouth. Was she pregnant? Just thinking it made her feel...something. Like something was swimming around inside her. Was it just her imagination getting away with her, or was something-or someone-actually inside her?

Pebblefall exchanged a look with Goldensky. Some unspoken message between them that Brightpaw couldn't decipher, no matter how much she tried. "I'm going to go check on the elders. Ripplefoot mentioned aching joints," Pebblefall finally said, far too casually for Brightpaw's comfort. Then he left. Brightpaw looked at Goldensky, wondering why the medicine cat apprentice had left. It wasn't a big deal, was it? She was just tired. She was probably just imaging pregnancy symptoms after what Eelspots had done to her.

"Brightpaw," Goldensky started, his voice gentle as if he were talking to a kit. That scared her more than anything they'd said before. "Remember that lesson Featherstar had about a moon ago?" Brightpaw nodded, starting to tremble a bit. "Have you...been with a tom in that manner, since then?"

Brightpaw shook her head quickly. Ever since she'd learned what mating was, just the thought of it practically made her sick. What had she said that made Eelspots think she wanted to be mated? She couldn't see him having done it if he had known she actually said no. Maybe secret warrior training was just code for mating and she didn't know it. Eelspots probably thought she knew how mating worked. And Featherstar had been very clear on what happened to warriors who were accused of rape. She couldn't get her mentor kicked out just because she didn't know what he meant.

Now Goldensky looked very worried. "Brightpaw...if you're protecting someone in the clan...or if you're meeting someone not in this clan, you can tell me. As your medicine cat, I need to know. Even if it's a rogue." Brightpaw shook her head. She wasn't going to tell Goldensky the truth, but she couldn't lie and say she'd met a loner or another clan cat. Goldensky sighed. "Well, then, I don't know how, but...Brightpaw, you're pregnant." Brightpaw could hear the doubt in his voice and she knew he was thinking that she was lying, but at least he wasn't calling her out on it. She knew it didn't help that there had been strong scents of loner presence within their borders for several sunrises now, though no cats had been caught yet. "We'll need to talk to Featherstar, then. It's her decision what happens next. Come with me."

* * *

Featherstar was not happy. She interrogated Brightpaw about the events leading up to Brightpaw becoming pregnant for ages before stopping, though the look in Featherstar's eyes made Brightpaw suspect the topic wasn't done with. Brightpaw wasn't sure what was worse, the fact that Featherstar was unlikely to give up on the search for the father of Brightpaw's kits, or the fact that Sandstripe had been sitting next to Featherstar the whole time, looking immensely disappointed in Brightpaw. She hated disappointing her mothers. They had finally taken a break for Featherstar to discuss the matter with her medicine cat, which Brightpaw knew actually meant that Featherstar was getting something to eat and/or calming down because of something angry. Brightpaw suspected it was both in this case.

Featherstar finally returned, her fur lying flat and sleek, only a few scales on her muzzle betraying what she'd been doing. "Despite your condition, don't think you'll be getting out of training because of this, Brightpaw. I'm very disappointed. Starting tomorrow, you'll be put on sole elder duty until you're fit to return to full apprentice duties. We won't have the clan shown as week, so you're off border patrols. Instead, you'll be hunting and helping Goldensky with anything he needs, whether it's getting more herbs with Pebblefall or changing the moss."

Featherstar didn't wait for a response before she continued. Then again, Brightpaw doubted she wanted one. Featherstar was furious. "Goldensky says you're a little over a moon into your pregnancy, leaving less than a moon before most queens give birth. However in your case it's likely to be half a moon. You may not leave camp without a warrior with you, and you will sleep in the nursery starting tomorrow as well. If the queens need someone to watch their kits while they go on patrol, you will expected to do so, assuming you aren't in the middle of one of your other duties. We will announce your move into the nursery at the next gathering, and you are expected to attend."

Brightpaw saw anger in her mother's face, and was confused for a moment, before she realized why. This wasn't some sort of reward, getting to go to the gathering, it was a punishment. Featherstar didn't want to tell the other clans that RiverClan had screwed up and as a result had a pregnant apprentice, but she couldn't pretend the kits that would come out of this mistake didn't exist. Someday they would go to gatherings, become apprentices, grow up, and the clans would notice that Featherstar had never mentioned the birth of them.

Most likely, RiverClan would be accused of harboring kittypets or loners, and not abiding by the laws all the clans following when it came to kittypets or loners wanting to join the clans. RiverClan would end up fighting against one or more of the other clans, and that was not an ideal outcome for any clan. But Featherstar also wasn't willing to let Brightpaw think that nothing bad happened because of her mistake, so she was having Brightpaw attend the gathering to see what would happen when Featherstar had to tell the other clans that one of RiverClan's apprentices was pregnant.

Featherstar glanced at Sandstripe, then back at Brightpaw. "Do you understand everything that you've been told?" Her voice was cold. It hurt Brightpaw that her own clan leader no longer trusted her.

Brightpaw started to nod, then stopped. Featherstar had made it clear earlier that Brightpaw was to acknowledge her verbally. "Y-yes, Featherstar. I understand."

Featherstar hmmphed. "Go talk to Goldensky. He has some herbs for you." Then, as if she was letting the mother in her out for a minute, she added, "You're to rest and eat today. You need to gain some weight, you're not looking healthy." Then she was back to her stern self. "And that's an order, Brightpaw."

Brightpaw left the leader's den and went back to the medicine cat's den, feeling numb.

"Hmm..." Pebblefall sat sorting through herbs as Goldensky examined Brightpaw, but she could feel his gaze on her from time to time, and it didn't help her feel comfortable at all. "Probably about three kits." Up until that point, it had hardly seem real. She was only two moons out of the nursery, how could she have kits? But hearing Goldensky confirm it made it seem more real, like she could actually feel the kits swimming around in her, growing, feeding off of her energy. Brightpaw shuddered. It was like having small bugs in her, small bugs she was supposed to care for. She wished more then ever that she'd never said yes to the secret warrior training.

"Is Brightpaw okay?" Brightpaw opened her eyes at Swiftpaw's voice. He and Otterpaw were peeking in. Brightpaw's sister looked almost as worried as Swiftpaw did. Brightpaw was tempted to purr. She knew Swiftpaw had asked Otterpaw to come with him so it wouldn't look like he was coming here because he cared about her, just to avoid his sister's teasing. Toms could be so dumb sometimes.

Goldensky glanced at her, apparently waiting for her permission before he told them. Brightpaw quickly shook her head the slightest bit. She didn't want them to know before everyone else knew. She didn't want them to know at all, but she knew she didn't have a choice. She couldn't bear to see their faces. Scorchpaw and Otterpaw probably wouldn't notice until she gave birth, they were so focused on their training. Dawnpaw would think Featherstar was lying. She didn't know how Swiftpaw would react. She didn't want to. The idea of her friend looking at her with those big eyes, judging her, thinking she had met up with some loner for some fun or something equally immature, upset her more then she had thought it would, almost more then it did when Sandstripe found out. Not for the first or last time, she considered telling some cat-any cat-that Eelspots had fathered the kits. She just wished she could explain how it happened so she wasn't considered a silly apprentice who had been knocked up out of thoughtlessness, and so that Eelspots wasn't considered a rapist.

"She's not feeling well. You can talk to her later, Goldensky told the two apprentices. Otterpaw left right away, but Swiftpaw stayed there longer, watching Brightpaw with a worried eye. Finally, he left.

* * *

**I CANNOT wait to get Eelspots condemned. Seriously, writing Brightpaw defending him is just...ugh. Girl, you need therapy pronto. Too bad WC doesn't supply it...**

**Anyway, I'm torn on whether or not to post a second chapter today, so if you're interested, speak up! I try to listen to my readers.**

**~Topaz**


	8. Chapter 7

**WOOH! Obviously you guys won't know this when you read it, but this first part of me talking to you is me, from the distant past. By which I mean the fourth of October. THAT'S RIGHT. I am TWO WEEKS ahead of you suckers, which means I know things you don't. Mwahaha! **

**Inner voice: You're the author, you always know things they don't.**

**Me: Shut it, self! I want to relish in this moment! Ah. It's the little crazy author's notes that I missed the most of all, I think. Coming up with one liners that make little to no sense is a really a fun exercise to sharpen your creativity. I highly recommend it to any fanfic authors out there. Sure, posting it makes you seem juvenile, but I like to appear youthful. (aka: am immature and don't give a flipping feather about it.)**

**Anyway, on with the story! I actually had to stop, re-read and do the math for how old Mistystream and Dawnpool's kits are. Dawnpool had her kits relatively soon after Brightpaw and her siblings left the nursery, which means that if Brightpaw is nine moons old, Dawnpool's kits are three moons old, and Mistystream's kits are less than a moon old.**

**Okay, so on the fourth I was feeling really cocky, it looks. Anyway, on to the next chapter! But first, OH MY GOSH I GOT A REVIEW ALREADY.**

**Pandean wrote: "POOOOST ANOTHER CHAPTER**

**I WANT EELSPOTS TO GET WHAT'S COMING"**

**My reply: "I can't wait, either! Unfortunately, it won't be in this chapter. :("**

**~Topaz**

* * *

Brightpaw squirmed, restless, as she looked up to where Featherstar stood. As distasteful as she found this, she knew it wasn't optional. "All cats old enough to swim gather to hear my words!" Slowly, the clearing began to fill up. Brightpaw watched the queens herd their kits out of the nursery, said kits complaining and trying to escape repeatedly. That was going to be her in a moon. Stuck in the nursery dealing with little brats depending on her for everything. In the corner of her eye, she noticed Sandstripe slip over to her mate to whisper in Frostheart's ear. Frostheart looked shocked, then glanced at Brightpaw with an unreadable expression. Brightpaw wished she knew what her mother was thinking.

Once every cat was gathered other then those out on patrol, Featherstar spoke. "First, I would like to remind every cat that it's been made very clear that some loners are encroaching on our territory. We don't know how many or how dangerous they could be, so from now on patrols will be doubled in that area, and no apprentices may leave camp without a warrior accompanying them."

Brightpaw could hear Dawnpaw whining at that. Honestly, Brightpaw was glad. All the reports of loners had been making her nervous. The elders had told them as kits that loners were barbarous monsters who followed no rules and killed and ate any clan cat they found, even kits. Brightpaw still believed them. She was glad to know that Dawnpaw or any of her siblings, for that matter, were likely to be caught alone by a rogue.

As much as Brightpaw wanted to hope the meeting was over, she knew it wasn't. "Next, I'd like to congratulate Blueshine. She will be moving into the nursery within the next day or two, as she is expecting kits." The clan cheered, some calling out to ask who the father was, others asking who would mentor the kits. New kits were almost always welcome, future warriors being a sign of strength and prosperity. Brightpaw wondered if the announcement that an apprentice was moving to the nursery would garner the same support.

As if reading her mind, Featherstar waved her tail for silence. Once there was relative quiet, Featherstar spoke. "There is also one final matter. While there has not been a case like this one in many season, since before I was made deputy, I have the unfortunate task of informing you that along with Blueshine, an apprentice will be moving to the nursery." The quiet murmuring exploded into whispers, shouts of outrage, and demands for an explanation. "This was only just discovered yesterday by our medicine cat!" Featherstar said, raising her voice to be heard, "Brightpaw will move into the nursery, and starting today, she is to be taken off border patrols and any training in fighting."

Brightpaw saw Eelspots, standing near the back, narrow his eyes. Her chest constricted. Did he think she had told Featherstar what happened? Please say something, she silently begged Featherstar, something, anything, just make him stop glaring at me! "Enough!" Featherstar shouted over the ruckus of voices. "Regardless of how anyone feels about this, we will not show the other clans that we are unnecessarily cruel, even to an apprentice who has made a terrible mistake. Brightpaw will be caring for the elders until she is fit to return to regular training, as well as other duties. Make no mistake, this will event will not be rewarded. But we will not banish a young apprentice expecting kits, nor will we force her to maintain her regular training regime, thereby sentencing her kits to death before they are even born. Eelspots!" The cats around Brightpaw's mentor glanced at him warily, stepping away. Eelspots looked furious.

"Yes, Featherstar?" His voice was calm, betraying none of the anger on his face. He might as well be sharing prey with Dawnpool and having a civil conversation with his leader, the way he sounded.

"About a moon ago, there was a skirmish on the ShadowClan border, which Brightpaw participated in. At the time, she did very poorly at fighting, and I accused you of poor mentoring. Now I see I was wrong. It is likely that at that point, Brightpaw was meeting up with whoever fathered these kits-we don't know, she won't say who-and was therefore unable to focus one hundred percent on training. I apologize for being quick to judge. Considering how slow she must have been, you have done a commendable job training her so far. When she returns to full training and you return to being her mentor, you will no longer require a second warrior with you at all times."

Eelspots seemed greatly relieved. Brightpaw was glad she hadn't told Featherstar what happened. Featherstar would no doubt have taken it the wrong way. "Thank you, Featherstar," he said gratefully.

Featherstar nodded her head regally. "You are all dismissed, then. Senior warriors, after the sunset patrol leaves, report to my den."

* * *

"Brightpaw Brightpaw Brightpaw! Why did Featherstar say you're having kits? Are you having kits? Will you play with us more now?" Lizardkit had started harassing Brightpaw the moment she was ushered into the nursery by Blueshine. Just as Brightpaw was starting to feel utterly overwhelmed by Lizardkit's badgering, Dawnpool swooped in and grabbed his scruff, pulling him off her.

"Now, Lizardkit, you'll have plenty of time to play with Brightpaw later. Leave her alone right now." Ignoring the small wriggling black tom, Dawnpool stalked back to her nest to drop her son among his littermates. "Blueshine, you and Brightpaw can make nests over there between Lilystep and the entrance or me." Brightpaw watched the queens rush around her for a few minutes, too shy to do anything. She knew she didn't belong there. Mistystream was busy grooming her young kits, but she kept shooting Brightpaw nasty looks over their backs.

Blueshine and Littlestep were working together to make Blueshine's nest,weaving extra sticks into an old nest left behind by a previous queen. Along with sticks they were adding mud on the outside and large, waxy leaves lining the inside to make it more durable and water-proof. The streams surrounding camp on two sides were very high and deep from rocks dropped in them many. While it protected the camp even more from twolegs intruding in their camp, it increased the risk of flooding. Making the nests so that they were able to float was important.

Watching Blueshine arrange bracken and moss in the nest to make it comfortable, Brightpaw realized she should probably make her own nest. Brightpaw went over to the other nest, this one between Littlestep's nest and the entrance, and started to take the old moss and bracken out. "While you're out there, you should probably make sure the elders don't need their moss changed," Littlestep said, noticing Brightpaw start to leave. Brightpaw was about to groan over getting the task-the elders could be a pawful on a good day-but she refrained from it. She was unlikely to find any sympathy for her here.

She headed to the elders den, leaving the old moss outside. She wasn't interested in getting complained at because one of the elders thought she was about to give them old moss. "Ripplefoot? Volefur? Anyone awake in there?"

"Now I am," came a growly voice from inside. Brightpaw padded in to see Volefur scowling at her, lashing his tail. "About time you came in here. There's a thorn in my nest. You apprentices should know by now that elders are supposed to be cared for. When I was your age, my elders always had fresh moss! Then again, there's no getting apprentices these days to do anything. They're too busy playing around or getting pregnant." He shot Brightpaw a glare as she trotted by to get the old moss from the other dens, her ears flat. She wished Volefur would shut up.

"Excuse me?" she finally said, as politely as she could make it.

"What?" he snapped.

"Could you move so I could get your moss?"

"Hmmph. Of course I can! I'm not completely crippled, you know! I'm just an elder!" Still grumbling, Volefur got up slowly. For all his complaining about how she accused him of being crippled, Brightpaw could hear his joints creak as he stood and moved to the side. "There. Now I suppose you'll take half the day to get more moss and I'll have to sleep in an uncomfortable nest." Brightpaw decided there was no talking to the grumpy old elder. He just seemed to like complaining for the sake of complaining. Emptying his nest of moss and old crumbling bracken, she brought it outside. Once she had all the old moss and bracken in the back of the dirtplace, she went to the medicine cat den for fresh moss.

"Here for moss?" So that was where Ripplefoot was. The dark brown tabby she-cat was getting a poultice put on her back leg by Pebblefall. "I heard Volefur snapping at you all the way from here." Ripplefoot inclined her head as she looked at Brightpaw kindly. "It must be tough, doing your apprentice duty with a belly full of kits."

Brightpaw looked down. "It's my fault," she mumbled.

"Now you listen here, Brightpaw," Ripplefoot said, suddenly fierce. "It is not your fault. I've known you since you were a kit, and you're a lovely apprentice, but StarClan's kits, you will listen to anyone. I know you wouldn't suddenly throw away your training to experience mating or to have a mate, unless someone told you that it was important to your training and took advantage of your kind nature." Brightpaw was stunned. Did Ripplefoot know what Eelspots had done unintentionally? She didn't think she was that gullible, but she did have to admit she listened to other cats more than most apprentices, relying on their judgement rather then risk making a mistake herself. Ripplefoot misinterpreted her look. "If you don't want the other cats to know, I won't tell anyone," the old she-cat added. "It's your secret, not mine. Just know I don't hold this against you."

Brightpaw finished making the nests in the elders den while she thought over Ripplefoot's words. Was Ripplefoot right, was it really not her fault? She wondered how Ripplefoot knew what was going through her head so well, but knew better then to ask. She wasn't sure if she wanted the answer, anyway.

That night as she lay in her new nest, listening to the soft squeaks of Mistystream's kits as they slept on and off, waking to nurse, and Dawnpool's kits attempting to stay awake as long as possible but dropping off to sleep one by one, Brightpaw lay her tail over her abdomen. It was hard to imagine lying here with small bodies nestled against her, biting her whenever they were hungry and keeping her up at all hours. It also made her feel even worse. Sandstripe had never complained to Brightpaw or been harsh. She'd never pushed Brightpaw away or over-protected her, even though out of Brightpaw's seven littermates, two had been born dead, and two had died as kits. Brightpaw wasn't sure if she could do that. Goldensky had examined her after she finished caring for the elders. He had told her she needed to be eating twice as much as she normally was, because she was abnormally thin for a pregnant she-cat, even one who was an apprentice. Brightpaw couldn't even keep on enough weight to sustain them while pregnant.


	9. Chapter 8

**Alright people, another week, another chapter! Let's see what reviews I got since last Monday!**

**Pandean wrote: "****Poor Brightpaw. I hope she tells someone what Eelspots did..."**

**Reply: "Looks like we're in agreement! Keep reading and it will happen, I promise. Seriously, I don't know how much longer I can write her defending that son of a fox. It's painful."**

**ImSpiderman wrote: "****Ugh. Eelspots is the most disgusting cat ever. And shame on Brightpaw for defending tgat son of a she-cat. I just hope that she realizes the right thing to do, and speaks out. Once again a very great chapter."**

**Reply: "Agreed. At least Tigerstar had multiple CONSENSUAL relationships. However, this isn't a totally unrealistic or uncommon thing. Human women will justify their rapist's actions, just because society tells them its their fault, for wearing something deemed "slutty," for acting a certain way, or countless other excuses we've been fed our entire lives. Brightpaw may not have that sort of life, but she also has been raised to listen to those in charge. It's difficult for her to work out which is more important, listening to her mentor no matter what, or what she's been told about sex. And Brightpaw is a pretty gullible cat, too, so it's even harder for her. **

**...Sorry for the rant, I have strong feelings about this. Anyway, glad that you like the story so far! Hope you like this chapter!"**

**Darkstar-of-mountainclan wrote: "Cant wait for the next update! Eelspots deserves what is coming for him, I really feel bad for Brightpaw since she had her whole life ahead of her. But, that bastard Eelspots had to take it away. Poor thing"**

**Reply: "Well, here's an update! I update every Monday from now until all time (or until the next crisis, or until this finishes and I move onto...you know, just say all time). And yeah, Brightpaw has some hurdles ahead of her thanks to Eelspots. -_- Personally, I'm ready to strangle him, and I have to keep writing it, so..."**

**I think one thing people forget when it comes to roleplaying and writing WC fanfic is how naming in books actually works. If you're roleplaying or even writing fanfic, likely you think that your cats name should reflect what they're like as a cheat sheet for the leader-this is the popular opinion. Greyclaw? He's a good fighter, lets send him to the fight. Stormheart? Probably the next leader, make her in charge of the patrol. Swiftleap? He's a great hunter, send him for rabbits.**

**But there's a second thing that writers, or at least Erin Hunter, have to think of. A message for the audience. This is a kids book series, so double that. A book needs characters, and often it's hard for an author to convey every little nuance of a characters personality. Choosing a name that means something important helps subconsciously reinforce the personality traits.**

**So what does this have to do with WC? Well, some names just make no sense for a clan leader or mother to give, so when that happens, very often we can go to the other explanation to answer why they have such a fucked up name.**

**My example? Runningnose. No self-respecting medicine cat would give their co-worker/trainee a name like Runningnose. It's just mean. But for the audience, when we hear Runningnose, we automatically know that he's the medicine cat who can't cure his own cold, thereby having a perpetually dripping/crusty nose.**

**For kids with short memory spans, this is extremely helpful, because you can tie personality traits and trivia to the name. Sometimes this is helpful for the clan leader as well as the audience - Greyclaw is probably aggressive, too, so when we think of Greyclaw we'll think of aggression because he has a strong name. A clan leader will think he's a strong fighter.**

**But sometimes-like Runningnose, there just isn't any reason. Or Yellowfang-sure, it makes sense, but only when she's a warrior. A warrior would need to be aggressive. A medicine cat less so. So why is Yellowfang, Yellowfang? Well, she's super snappy and rude, always, no matter who it is. Because of this, she has a name that denotes it. Plus, why yellow? She's grey, not yellow. Cats have yellow eyes, but not yellow fur. In this case, I think Yellowfang is meaning that she's an old cranky elder who's not the cleanest. Even when she joins ThunderClan and starts caring for herself, I don't think she ever pays much attention to grooming herself. But this is just my theory.**

**Oh, and if you want another chapter today, review and let me know! I just might.**

**~Topaz**

* * *

Brightpaw was carrying a stick with mouse-bile soaked moss on it over to the elder's den when Nightpaw stopped in front of Brightpaw. "Having fun lazing around camp while we do all the work?" the younger she-cat sneered at Brightpaw. Hate made Nightpaw's normally pretty face ugly, her blue eyes squinting and her brown-and-white fur puffed up. "Got yourself knocked up to avoid actually serving your clan." Brightpaw chose not to respond, instead stepping aside and walking past Nightpaw as if she weren't even there. Nightpaw seemed to have it out for her these days, constantly bumping her or playing mean tricks on her. Brightpaw could only guess the younger apprentice was angry on behalf of her brother.

Ever since it was announced that Brightpaw was pregnant, Swiftpaw had been avoiding her. Brightpaw's chest hurt when she thought about it too long. Did Swiftpaw hate her, like so much of the clan seemed to? His behavior seemed to indicate it. Most of the clan barely spoke to her, but Swiftpaw actively went out of his way to avoid her.

By contrast, Eelspots was around even more often. When he wasn't off hunting or on patrol, he was giving Brightpaw a job to do or criticizing her efforts on whatever duties she was carrying out. He had started sending her on every hunting patrol for a day, until Goldensky found out and limited Brightpaw to two patrols a day. Brightpaw wasn't sure whether to be relieved or not.

"Brightpaw! The ticks are eating me alive while you stand around dawdling!" Volefur's raspy screech cut through her thoughts.

"Coming, Volefur!" Brightpaw trotted into the elders den and over to Volefur. Putting down the mouse bile, she began to nose through his fur, checking for ticks.

"About time," Volefur grumbled, shutting his eyes and laying down with a sigh. "Apprentices these days..." It took Brightpaw some time, but finally she found the tick he'd been complaining about so vehemently, embedded in the base of his tail. She dabbed it with a bit of mouse bile, then crushed it once it fell off. She had already removed several others, and that was the only one that required her to use mouse bile.

"All done, Volefur."

"Are you sure?" Volefur snapped, "You can never be too sure with ticks."

"I'm sure," Brightpaw said, all too patiently.

"Hmmph." He glanced at her suspiciously, as if checking for lies. "Well then...go wash your paws in the stream and get me something to eat! I'm a starving elder here, is that any way to treat me!" Feeling like Volefur was just inventing reasons to be mad at her, Brightpaw grabbed up the mouse bile and slowly left the elder's den to do as she was told, relieved that dealing with Volefur was the worst of her worries.

It had been several days she moved into the nursery, and she felt like she had swollen up to twice her size. Goldensky at least was happy that she was gaining weight so rapidly. He said that probably with less strenuous training there was more energy going towards the kits then there had been before, or something like that. All she knew was that she felt like she was waddling around dragging a big fish under her all the time.

"Brightpaw, once you're done with that, come in my den," Goldensky called from across the clearing. Brightpaw sighed. Goldensky insisted on checking Brightpaw every day to make sure she was as healthy as possible. She'd been given mixtures of StarClan knows what herbs for days now, all nasty tasting. Goldensky seemed to have a reason every time-needing a boost of strength as she was young, herbs to bring down the fever she'd apparently gotten trying to please Eelspots-but she secretly thought he was just guessing and throwing herbs at her. Certainly Pebblefall always had a look of annoyance when she came in.

"Yes, Goldensky?" Brightpaw asked once she came into the medicine cat's den. Pebblefall was nowhere to be found, but Blackwater was asleep in the back, sleeping off a minor case of whitecough.

"Here." A leaf wrap was tossed at her paws. "Take these and get something to eat, then rest up. Eat the herbs just before you leave for the gathering." Brightpaw had been about to ask when to take it, but she stopped. The gathering was tonight. Brightpaw had almost forgotten that part of the punishment, and she kind of wished she could go back to having forgot it.

"Featherstar didn't change her mind?" Brightpaw said, hoping she didn't sound too whiny.

Goldensky shook his head. "She said you didn't look in danger of kitting any minute, so there was no reason. Pebblefall will stay here and keep an eye on Blackwater while I come just in case." That surprised Brightpaw. Goldensky never attended gatherings. That he was attending just in case something happened helped to reassure her. Grabbing up the leaf wrap, Brightpaw headed out.

"Let all cats old enough to swim gather to hear my words!" Brightpaw padded over to sit with her mother. Otterpaw and Dawnpaw were sympathetic enough, considering what was going on, but Scorchpaw refused to be seen with Brightpaw, likely trying to stay on Nightpaw's good side. Brightpaw wasn't going to make her sisters choose between her and Scorchpaw. Frostheart looked down at Brightpaw, then pulled her closer with her tail.

"Hi," she whispered.

"Hi," Brightpaw replied. At least Frostheart acknowledged her in public. Brightpaw knew that both her mothers cared for her, but as deputy Sandstripe had a reputation to uphold, and she couldn't look like she approved of an apprentice getting pregnant. Therefore, any conversations the mother and daughter had were short and cool, little emotion conveyed in them.

"As you all know, the gathering is tonight. The warriors attending are myself, Sandstripe, Goldensky, Eelspots, Frostheart, Darkstorm, Hawkclaw, Dawnpool, Stoneclaw, Swiftpaw, Brightpaw, and Ripplefoot. Mudfoot and Snowbelly will stand guard while we are gone." Before Featherstar had even finished speaking, cats started complaining, demanding to know why Brightpaw was being rewarded for her actions by attending the gathering. For what seemed like moons to Brightpaw, Featherstar didn't speak. Finally, she let out a yowl that silenced them. "This is my decision, and the word of clan leader is final! Brightpaw will be attending this moons gathering!" Tail lashing, Featherstar jumped down from where she stood and walked briskly to her den, Snowbelly following close behind.

* * *

It was cold. Somehow, Brightpaw had never imagined going to her first gathering would be so cold. She was the only apprentice who had never gone to a gathering, and she hated that her first gathering was going to be this punishment.

Featherstar stood at the end of the marsh, ears pricked. Brightpaw wished their leader would stop posing and let them go across the bridge already. Her paws were damp and she was cold. She hadn't gotten her leaf-bare coat yet. Finally, Featherstar turned back to them and gave the call. Brightpaw walked along slowly, not wanting to waste her energy racing. So when she fell behind a bit, she wasn't surprised. Then she heard quiet murmurs from Sandstripe and Goldensky. Curious, she trotted a bit faster and tried to listen.

The deputy and medicine cat were at the back of the group. "I don't know why you didn't push for Brightpaw to stay at camp," Brightpaw heard her mother mutter, "She's clearly days from kitting."

"I couldn't argue with Featherstar, she was too set in the idea of punishing Brightpaw," came Goldensky's reply. "I think she wants to shame Brightpaw in front of the other clans."

"And make her own clan look bad in the process?" Sandstripe's voice was disbelieving. "She told me she intended to use this gathering to discover the father of the kits. I'm supposed to keep an eye out for any cat who seems to look guilty. I was under the impression she was accusing the other clans of trying something, not just..." Whatever she was saying at the end grew so quiet that Brightpaw couldn't hear it. "Anyway," came the voice, sounding more aggrevated now, "That still doesn't explain why you couldn't keep her from bring my daughter to the gathering."

"Brightpaw is fine," came Goldensky's voice, calm and soothing, "I gave her some travelling herbs suited for young queens. Besides..." his voice grew troubled. "StarClan spoke to me last night. They said..." But that was all Brightpaw heard before she tripped over the roots of a fallen tree.

"Brightpaw, are you alright?" Sandstripe walked over to stand next to her daughter, frowning. "Come on, we need to cross." Brightpaw stared at the huge tree, eyes wide. The others were already on the island on the other side, mingling, and only Brightpaw, Sandstripe, and Goldensky remained. But climbing that?

"What if I fall?" she whimpered, terrified.

Sandstripe glared at her. "You're a RiverClan cat!" she hissed, "You can swim!" Then Sandstripe stopped, her fur smoothing back to normal. "It's perfectly safe, Brightpaw. Just hold onto it with your claws while you pass and you'll be fine." Walking just behind Brightpaw, Sandstripe slowly coaxed the terrified apprentice across.

"About time," grumbled Featherstar, when the three finally made it across. "Goldensky, Swiftpaw and Stoneclaw put those packets you gave them next to the other medicine cats. Sandstripe, with me." Featherstar walked off to the tree.

"What should I do?" Brightpaw asked Sandstripe.

"Mingle," Sandstripe replied, as if it were the most obvious answer. Then she stopped. "On second thought, don't. Go sit with Dawnpool, she'll keep an eye on you. I'll be under the tree with the other deputies." And then she was gone.

Brightpaw wandered until she found Dawnpool sitting with several other queens. When Brightpaw came and sat next to Dawnpool, the older queen smiled and licked the top of Brightpaw's head. One of the queens was in the middle of telling a story about what two of ThunderClan's kits had tried in order to attend the gathering. "The only reason they're not here tonight is because when we reached the marsh Brackenkit started whining about how cold and wet it was! Hollystar was so mad, she threatened not to make them apprentices until they were eight moons old before she told Robinfur and Pricklepelt to bring them back." The other queens purred in amusement.

Brightpaw sat and listened to the queens brag about their kit's accomplishments, feeling lower every minute. Was this what she would be limited to, in the future? Never thinking of herself, just about her children. Life would practically be meaningless.

Brightpaw's ears pricked as she heard one of the cats standing on the tree yowl for attention. Every cat stopped their conversation and turned to face the leaders. "Welcome, cats of all clans." A golden-brown tabby she-cat stood to speak. Brightpaw noticed that her expression was fatigued, like she hadn't gotten enough sleep, and she looked slightly plump. "ThunderClan will go first. Despite leaf-bare approaching, prey is running well and ThunderClan is strong as ever. I have given birth to four kits. Goldenkit, Scorchkit, Lionkit, and Mousekit."

"She gave birth last night," muttered the queen who had been complaining about ThunderClan kits sneaking out. "Mintstorm told her she should have Oakclaw speak in her place, but she insisted on coming. Those kits will think Sedgetail is their kit if Hollystar remains this active."

The other queens murmured agreement. "No she-cat likes being stuck in the nursery for six moons or more," Dawnpool added, "But we know our duty. We're raising the next generation of warriors."

Hollystar had continued her announcement. "We have two new warriors, Whiteclaw and Owlfang, as well as two new apprentices, Foxpaw and Goosepaw." Brightpaw cheered along with the other clans. Hollystar sat down on her branch, curling her tail over her paws.

On an opposite branch, a dark ginger tabby tom stood. He looked lean and wiry, ready to run at any moment. "ShadowClan will go next. Prey is running well. A fox broke into our camp shortly after last gathering and killed Mistear and Nettlefur before our warriors chased it out. We last saw it heading near WindClan territory, Harestar." A pale brown tom nodded his head in response to that. "Stormheart retired to the elder's den due to old age, but I am pleased to announce that Raveblaze is now our deputy, and I am confident in her abilities." Brightpaw wondered why there were only three cats at the bottom of the tree.

"Who are those cats sitting next to Sandstripe?" she whispered to Dawnpool.

Dawnpool glanced at her. "The dark brown tabby tom is Oakclaw, the ThunderClan deputy. The white tom is Runningheart. Ravenblaze must be sitting somewhere else. It's not required that deputies sit there, but it's common." Dawnpool sounded doubtful.

"In more positive news, we have three new warriors, Cherrydapple, Marshcry, and Clovershade." The cats below cheered. "Cherrydapple has moved into the nursery, and Ravenblaze has given birth to three kits. Nightkit, Fawnkit, and Pricklekit. She is staying behind tonight as her kits are so young."

"At least ShadowClan's deputy has some sense," muttered Dawnpool.

"I wonder why Sunstar made her deputy when he knew she was expecting kits," mused another queen. Brightpaw stared at the queen, shocked. She-cats weren't made deputy just because they were pregnant? That seemed unfair.

"Finally, we have one new apprentice. Petalpaw has chosen to walk the path of a medicine cat, formally apprenticed at the last half moon."

"Petalpaw!" yowled one of the queens sitting next to Brightpaw and Dawnpool, raising her voice above all the other cheering cats. When the other cats around her glanced at her, annoyed, she flattened her ears. "She's my daughter," she said defensively.

Brightpaw decided she was done listening for now. "I'll be back, I have to go make dirt," she mumbled, walking away. After walking a distance away, she found a place that had clearly been designated as a dirtplace by the cats who gathered here. Once done, she walked back to where Dawnpool and the other queens sat.

"...And that is all the news WindClan has." Brightpaw began to shake. If Harestar was done, that meant it was time for Featherstar. Maybe she would forget. Brightpaw could hope.

"RiverClan is doing well. Our prey is still swimming and our warriors are strong as ever. Mistystream has given birth to three kits. Silverkit, Greykit, and Smokekit. Blueshine has moved into the nursery expecting kits." Featherstar paused. Was she stopping? Please, StarClan, make her stop with that. "A second cat has moved into the nursery. Brightpaw is expecting kits-"

Hollystar interrupted. "I'm sorry, Featherstar, did you say an apprentice is pregnant? How did this happen?" All around Brightpaw, cats were muttering angrily. Some, putting two and two together, turned to give Brightpaw dirty looks. Dawnpool, sensing Brightpaw's discomfort, reached out and pulled Brightpaw close to her with her tail.

"We don't know," Featherstar replied evenly. "She has refused to say."

"Hold on," Sunstar snapped, "Are you accusing one of ThunderClan's cats of taking advantage of your apprentice?"

"I never said that," retorted Featherstar. "But I certainly am not interested in making you think RiverClan has invited loners to join us directly rather then following the code. However, if you think one of your warriors has done that sort of thing, now would be the time to bring it up."

Whatever Sunstar or the other leaders said in response to what Brightpaw said, she never heard. A pain suddenly wracked her body, making her spasm in pain.

Dawnpool turned, startled. "Brightpaw! What's wrong?" Brightpaw opened her mouth to respond, but pain shot through her belly, causing her to moan. "Alright, Brightpaw, try and stand up."

"Why are you helping her?" sneered a white-speckled she-cat. "She probably just had some fun without thinking about the consequences."

Dawnpool ignored the complaining cats and shouldered Brightpaw up, supporting her on one side. With Dawnpool supporting her, Brightpaw slowly started to make her way through the crowd. To where, she wasn't sure, but Dawnpool seemed to know where to go.

* * *

After what felt like ages and several breaks for spasms later, they reached Goldensky. Between Goldensky and Dawnpool, they got Brightpaw into a bush near where the medicine cats sat. Apparently the news of what was going on had reached the medicine cats, as Goldensky had all his herbs in the den as well as a soft nest. "Brightpaw, what's going on? Are you having regular pains in your hips and lower belly?" Brightpaw nodded. "Okay, lie down and try to relax. Dawnpool, go get a stick."

"A stick?" Brightpaw squeaked, "What's wrong with me?" Her question turned into a wail when a spasm hit her.

"You're in labor," Goldensky informed her briskly. He turned around from whatever he was doing and put a pile of sticky herbs on a lea in front of her. "Eat these. This is chervil, juniper berries, raspberry leaves, and dandelion leaves with honey." Brightpaw blinked, then lapped up the herbs. Within minutes, she felt stronger, and the pain was receding. Not all the way gone, but more tolerable.

The next period of time was a haze, Brightpaw only able to focus on what was going on around her for short periods of time. Brightpaw was already tired from coming to the island and the herbs only lasted so long. At some point she remembered Swiftpaw coming in and telling Goldensky Featherstar was calling everyone back since the gathering was over and that Sandstripe was coming to help carry Brightpaw home. She didn't remember what Goldensky said, but he was angry.

Then she remembered waking up to find herself on Sandstripe's back, Goldensky on one side, Dawnpool on the other, and Swiftpaw behind her, as they walked through the marsh. She didn't remember falling asleep, but she remembered that she'd only woken due to pain. The herbs were still active. She heard Dawnpool say something to Sandstripe about how Brightpaw was probably in early labor.

When she finally slipped out of the haze of mild pain and fatigue she was back in her nest in the nursery, Dawnpool lying down and hushing her kits as they demanded to know what was wrong with Brightpaw, Mistystream and her kits nowhere to be seen. The only reason she was suddenly fully aware was because the pain had skyrocketed.

At Brightpaw's whimpers, Dawnpool apparently gave up on quieting her kits. "Come on, kits, Brightpaw needs space now. Lets go to the elders den. Mistystream and her kits are there, and maybe Volefur will tell you a story if you ask nicely." Dawnpool disappeared behind her kits, then reappeared a few minutes later with Goldensky and Pebblefall in tow. "Okay, Brightpaw, those spasms of pain you're feeling? They're contractions. Remember how we went over birth? The uterus contracts to squeeze the kits out through the birth canal. So it's normal for them to be a certain amount of time apart and a certain level of pain."

Brightpaw glared at her. "H-how is that supposed to make me feel better?"

Goldensky shook his head. "It's not. How high would you say your pain is?"

"Very!"

"Alright, then when you feel the need to push, push." At her blank look, he said, "Bearing down. Like when you are having trouble making dirt. When you feel pain, bite down on this stick." Pebblefall dropped a stick in front of her.

After a few more minutes of Brightpaw feeling like her insides were being ripped apart, Brightpaw realized her body was telling her to push, like Goldensky said. Brightpaw began to push. Instantly the pain intensified a million times. Resisting the urge to shriek in pain, Brightpaw instead clamped her jaws around the stick, feeling it crack as her pain continued to intensify and start to burn. Then, with almost a popping feeling, she felt something slip out.

"The first kit is out!" announced Goldensky. Brightpaw twisted around, trying in vain to see. She could hear the rasping sound of a cat cleaning off fur, and a few tiny squeaks, then Pebblefall placed a tiny lump at Brightpaw's side. Looking down, Brightpaw could, for the first time, understand why queens would sacrifice so much of their time to care for small squirming bundles. Brightpaw felt a fierce protectiveness looking down at the small kit currently worming its way to Brightpaw's belly, mewling plaintively.

Just as the kit latched on to nurse, another spasm of pain, this one almost worse than before. Brightpaw bit down on the stick, feeling the wood splinter and crunch in her mouth as well as pain in her lower regions. Goldensky muttered something to Pebblefall and a small kit, tinier then the first kit, was passed to Brightpaw. It's fur was covered in slime. Realizing what Pebblefall wanted her to do, Brightpaw bent down and lapped at her kit's fur, washing it of the fluids and licking the fur backwards to warm the kitten up. Finally, the kit started to wriggle and wail. Brightpaw nudged the kit closer to her belly and was relieved when it latched on eagerly. The sensation of small kits nursing, sucking sustenance out of her teats, was an odd sensation, and she had expected it to hurt, but she barely felt them. She wasn't sure whether that was good or not.

It started to get hazy again after that. Brightpaw tried to focus, but the effort of pushing small kits out was exhausting for any queen, and Brightpaw was so much younger than a queen would normally be when she had her first kits. She could hear the medicine cats talking with Dawnpool, hear the worry in their voices, but she couldn't focus on it for long enough to understand what they said. She lay there, pushing, for what felt like moons, flittering in and out of consciousness.

"She might not make it much longer..." That was Goldensky, his meow fretful, "Pebblefall, give her the dandelion and chamomile." The next thing Brightpaw was aware of was Pebblefall forcing her to take some herbs, and she swallowed reflexively. The pain eased somewhat, but it didn't matter any more. Exhaustion was beating Brightpaw. She felt like she'd birthed twenty kits. Brightpaw pushed one more time, then everything went black.

* * *

**So...right now you're probably thinking HOW DARE YOU! IS BRIGHTPAW DEAD?! ARE HER KITS DEAD! MORE!**

**Well, too bad, you won't find out!**

**...until next chapter. **

**~Topaz**


	10. Chapter 9

**Great StarClan, I HATE writing about Brightpaw's sisters. I had like zero development for them, so it all reads as telling, not showing. Brightpaw is like nine moons (one moon after training Eelspots raped her, one moon after that was the assessment/sex ed lesson and the second time he raped her, and one and a half moons after that Brightpaw gave birth. That's...nine and a half moons, roughly. Which means Otterpaw and Dawnpaw and Scorchpaw are three and a half moons into their training, and Brightpaw is two moons into training.)**

**Apologies for taking so long with this! I had a big project planned for today and everything kept getting pushed back, so I forgot about Monday updates!**

**Review time~**

**Pandean wrote: "Ahhhh! It's Pandean (forgot to log in) **

**Please post the next chapter soon! I want to know what happens and got Eelspots to get what he deserves so that the others will stop acting like Brightpaw is a slut."**

**Reply: "I want to know, too! I'm only a chapter ahead this time. Sorry for not updating a second time last week, I got distracted."**

**Darkstar-of-mountainclan wrote: "Cant wait till next chapter!"**

**Reply: "The wait is over! Does this chapter live up to your expectations?"**

**It occurred to me that I haven't changed the other clans at all or even created other cats. I'm rectifying this by doing it this chapter, along with allegiences (due to some obvious RiverClan changes you'll see...). There might be some major changes. Of course, I'm sure that having said this, most of you skipped past the AN to read so you know if Brightpaw is okay and/or her kits are alright. Oh well. Enjoy!**

**NOTE: When I say word crying in here, I mean the sound, not the tears. If I'm correct, cats can't cry. However, small kits can squeak, mewl, whine, and likely, they can cry, all vocally. I just don't mean they can produce the tears in that sense. Also, since cats aren't born with teeth, it seems reasonable that kits can't talk for a while, either. They just...make nonsense sounds. Like baby humans.**

**~Topaz**

* * *

Brightpaw opened her eyes to find morning light streaming through the nursery entrance, lighting everything up in a soft glow. For a moment, she was content to relax then.

"Mew!" Brightpaw sat straight up, startled. The single cry turned into several, and Brightpaw slowly returned to lying down, realizing what the sound was. Nestled at her side were five small kits.

"Calm down!" Brightpaw said, feeling overwhelmed, "Stop crying!" As if they sensed their mothers nervousness, the kits cries grew even louder.

"Steady now," came Frostheart's mellow voice. "Young kits get easily upset, and they'll know if you're upset too." Brightpaw turned to see her mother look at Brightpaw with a sympathetic look. "Try speaking in a soothing voice."

Brightpaw wasn't entirely sure if that would work, but she might as well try. She bent her head, nosing the kits gently. "Shhh...calm down. I'm here for you. Relax." She wasn't sure how much of that they understood, but slowly, one by one, they stopped crying. Once they were asleep again, Brightpaw looked up, purring in relief. "Thanks. I had no idea what to do!"

Frostheart licked the top of Brightpaw's head fondly. "It's alright. You're new at this, remember? Your mother used to complain that if she so much as twitched her tail you would start crying." Brightpaw ducked her head in embarrassment. Frostheart went on. "Besides, Goldensky says the labor was very hard for you. He said as soon as the last kit was out, you fell unconscious. You'll probably still be weak for the next several days." True enough, Brightpaw thought. Her muscles felt like liquid "Fortunately, there weren't many problems."

"Many?" Brightpaw stared at her kits-her kits!-then at Frostheart. "W-what problems?"

Frostheart hesitated, then shook her head. "It isn't important right now. You're still tired. I only woke you because I thought you might be hungry." Then, a little more hesitantly, Frostheart added, "And I thought you might want to see your kits properly and name them. I know the birth was hard enough so you probably didn't see them. Besides, it's better to name them now, before some cat refers to them as something and they think that's their name. Kits have remarkable memories."

Brightpaw blinked, staring down at the kits. Their names...she'd never really thought about that much. Ripplefoot had always harassed Brightpaw about the topic when she was dealing with the elder's ticks or nest, but other then that, she hadn't thought that much. Brightpaw looked over the kits, then bent down to nose the biggest kit. It was a she-kit, she knew that, though how she couldn't say, and had very soft, pale grey fur, except for her paws and her ears, which were pale brown. "This one will be Lichenkit." Frostheart purred, but Brightpaw was troubled. Looking at Lichenkit, Brightpaw couldn't help thinking of Eelspots, though he had grey spots and dark brown fur. She shivered a little. Would Frostheart notice the similarities between Lichenkit and Eelspots.

"That's a beautiful name," Frostheart said encouragingly, "What about the others?"

Thankfully she didn't. Brightpaw gave an inward sigh of relief, then turned to her other kits. "Beechkit," she said after some deliberation, gently brushing her tail over a brown tabby tom who had a pale grey tail and paws. Fearing Frostheart would comment on the even stronger resemblance to Eelspots, Brightpaw rushed on. "The other tom can be Tumblekit." Tumblekit was a very small kit, almost a quarter the size of Lichenkit, rather then the others half size, with ginger tabby fur, except for his chest, belly, and face, which were all cream colored. Frostheart looked rather confused at Brightpaw's name choice, but didn't say anything. Feeling emboldened, Brightpaw went on. Pointing to a golden brown she-cat with black paws, she said, "Her name is Nettlekit." Then, pointing now to a she-cat with what looked like both cinnamon tortoiseshell markings and tabby markings, she said, hesitantly, "And her name will be Shadekit." Shadekit, too, was quite small, making Brightpaw worry. Her fur was thin.

Now Frostheart looked sad, remembering Brightpaw's sister who had died as a kit. "They're beautiful, Brightpaw. I know that you didn't choose this path, but...that doesn't mean that you and they won't be capable of great things." Frostheart dropped a shimmering fish in front of Brightpaw, then left, clearly too emotional to say any more.

Brightpaw bent down and started eating, feeling awkward trying to move without disturbing the small kits by her side. She could hear the other nursery kits outside playing, probably harassing the apprentices or attacking a warrior. Her own kits-it felt so weird thinking that, yet at the same time, so natural-were asleep mostly, though from time to time she felt a small pressure as one latched on to nurse briefly or a thud as they rolled over to get more comfortable. The nursery was, for once, quiet. Lilystep had gone in for Goldensky to check her, Blueshine was asleep, and Dawnpool and Mistystream were watching their kits play outside.

"Brightpaw?" Otterpaw peeked in, then Brightpaw's sisters and brother tiptoed in to stare at the kits nestled at Brightpaw's belly. "Wow."

Brightpaw purred. Otterpaw was gazing at the kittens with an awed expression. "Did you need something, Otterpaw?" She was starting to get tired again already, but she wasn't going to ignore her sister if it were important.

Her sister drew a paw over one ear, embarrassed. "Well, not really...I just wanted to see what you looked like now that you had kits."

Now it was Brightpaw's turn to be embarrassed. "Oh."

"You look great!" Otterpaw added hastily, realizing her words, "And your kits are adorable." Brightpaw felt a flush of pride in hearing Otterpaw compliment her kits. "We've missed you in training," Otterpaw added, changing the subject before Brightpaw could reply. "Dawnpaw is really mad at you, but I think she's just acting mad because Yellowstorm was mad, too." Brightpaw shrugged. Her sister wasn't usually so eager to follow the majority of the clan in their ideas, but for the tom she was head-over-heels, Dawnpaw would probably stop believing in StarClan for him. Otterpaw was much more sensible. "What are their names?"

Brightpaw was happy to tell Otterpaw. As she pointed to each and said their name, though, she couldn't help but notice Otterpaw looking over at Lichenkit. Brightpaw stopped talking. Did Otterpaw see the resemblance?

But all Otterpaw said was, "You know she's probably the only one who will live, right?"

Shocked, Brightpaw drew her tail around her kits and glared. "What do you mean, she's the only one who will live?" she all but snarled.

Otterpaw took a step back, clearly shocked by the reaction. Brightpaw was surprised, too. Already a day in and she was feeling a connection to these kits, when hours before their birth she'd considered them parasites. Before Brightpaw could apologize, Otterpaw said, "I'm sorry, it was thoughtless of me. I just meant that with her size and that thick fur she's going to grow up strong." The fur on Brightpaw's back flattened slowly and she sighed. At least Otterpaw had made sense with what she said after her fumble. Lichenkit did appear to have thick, dense fur, especially for a young kit, and she'd clearly gotten the better end of whatever energy had gone into them growing. Looking at the others, Brightpaw started to worry. None of them were especially large, especially Tumblekit and Shadekit. Almost without thinking about it, Brightpaw shifted and tucked them in closer so they could get more of her warmth.

"Otterpaw, training!" a voice called from outside.

Otterpaw flattened her ears. Clearly she'd had other motives then just visiting her sisters kits when she entered the nursery. "Frog dung. I'll see you later, Brightpaw."

"Wait!" Brightpaw hesitated, then said, "How's Swiftpaw?"

A miscevious gleam appeared in Otterpaw's eyes. "He's fine," she said, all too casually, "I'll tell him you asked after him!" Before Brightpaw could tell her not to, Otterpaw was gone.

Brightpaw slumped down on her paws. Great. Just great. Now Swiftpaw was probably going to think that she was a weirdo or obsessed with him or something! Maybe he wouldn't get the message. It might not be the end of the world. Maybe he was told to avoid her or thought she didn't like him, and when Otterpaw told him, he would finally realize that she wanted to be friends!

"Mew!" Then she was broken out of her fantasies by Shadekit mewling. With a sigh, she returned to reality to deal with her day-old offspring.

* * *

**_Allegiances_**

**RiverClan**

Leader

Featherstar - pale grey tabby she-cat with yellow eyes and long fur (named Featherkit at birth because her ears/tail were extremely fluffy and active for a just born kitten, 4/9 lives left)

_Apprentice, Scorchpaw_

Deputy

Sandstripe - cream tabby she-cat with yellow eyes and red paws/tail tip

Medicine Cat

Goldensky - Black tom with ginger-brown tabby-tortie pattern and green eyes

_Apprentice, Pebblefall_

Warriors (toms and she-cats without kits)

Snowbelly - light brown tabby tom with several white streaks along his belly from a battle when he was an apprentice

Eelspots - dark brown tom with pale brown and grey spots and amber eyes

_Apprentice, Brightpaw_

Troutface - pale silver tabby tom with blue eyes and black paws (named because hes really good at catching trout, and went around bragging that he was so much more handsome than the others, that the fish leaped to their deaths for his face. Featherstar named him that to humble him, but after a while it stopped feeling like a cruel name and more like his name. Sort of mates with Sandstripe?)

_Apprentice, Nightpaw_

Frostheart - silver tabby she-cat with yellow eyes (mates with Sandstripe)

Mossflower - dark brown tabby she-cat with copper eyes

_Apprentice, Dawnpaw_

Rainears - dark blue-grey tom with blue eyes

Darkstorm - black tom with yellow eyes

Mudfoot - dark brown tom with amber eyes (son of Eelspots and Dawnpool)

Hawkclaw - black tom with blue eyes (named when he saved some kits from a bird of some sort-possibly a heron)

Stoneclaw - dark grey tabby tom with yellow eyes (son of Troutface and Mossflower)

_Apprentice, Swiftpaw_

Brookleap - pale brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes (daughter of Troutface and Mossflower)

Cinderfrost - pale grey she-cat with blue eyes (Daughter of Snowbelly and Featherstar)

_Apprentice, Otterpaw_

Shellwhisker - Fawn spotted tabby tom with amber eyes (Son of Snowbelly and Featherstar)

Yellowstorm - Lilac-grey tabby tom with copper eyes (son of Dawnpool and unknown tom)

Apprentices

Pebblefall - dark grey spotted tabby tom with yellow eyes (son of Darkstorm and Lilystep)

Otterpaw - dark grey tabby she-cat with yellow eyes (daughter of Sandstripe and Troutface/Frostheart)

Dawnpaw - cream tabby she-cat with yellow eyes (daughter of Sandstripe and Troutface/Frostheart)

Scorchpaw - deep ginger tabby tom with amber eyes (son of Sandstripe and Troutface/Frostheart)

Nightpaw - brown white-speckled she-cat with blue eyes (daughter of Rainears and Lilystep)

Swiftpaw - skinny white tom with blue eyes (son of Rainears and Lilystep)

Queens

Mistystream - pale blue-grey she-cat with green eyes, mother of Stoneclaw's kits: Silverkit (pale grey she-cat with yellow eyes), Greykit (dark grey she-cat with yellow eyes), and Smokekit (dark grey tabby tom with blue eyes)

Lilystep - white she-cat with silver spotted tabby markings and blue eyes

Dawnpool - golden-brown tabby she-cat with green eyes, mother of Eelspots' kits: Adderkit (dark brown spotted tabby she-cat with yellow eyes), Pricklekit (dark brown tom with yellow eyes), Specklekit (golden-brown spotted tabby tom with yellow eyes), and Lizardkit (black tom with green eyes)

Blueshine - deep blue-grey she-cat with yellow eyes, mother of Hawkclaw and Mudfoot's kits: Splashkit (dark brown she-cat with blue eyes), Swallowkit (dark grey tom with amber eyes), and Beetlekit (black tom with yellow eyes)

Brightpaw - cinnamon tabby she-cat with blue eyes, mother of: Nettlekit (smaller then average golden brown she-cat with black paws and yellow eyes), Tumblekit (even smaller than normal ginger tabby tom with cream chest/belly/face and green eyes), Lichenkit (almost average sized pale grey she-cat with pale brown paws/ears and amber eyes), Shadekit (extremely tiny/skinny cinnamon caliby [calico tabby] she-cat with yellow eyes), and Beechkit (smaller then average brown tabby tom with pale grey paws/tail and amber eyes)

Elders

Blackwater - black tom with grey-speckled fur and yellow eyes (father of Sandstripe and Goldensky)

Volefur - deep blue-grey tom with greying muzzle and blue eyes

Ripplefoot - dark brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes and mangled right back leg from some twoleg rubbish

**ThunderClan**

Leader

Hollystar - golden-brown tabby she-cat with yellow eyes (mates with Thornleap, mother of Goldenkit, Scorchkit, Lionkit, and Mousekit)

2/9 lives left (she's a little over-zealous to protect her clan, life one-green cough, life two-fox, life three-fighting over territory with ShadowClan, life four-sustained injuries after a battle with ShadowClan over territory (the same battle that took life three), life five-green cough (when the predecessar to Mintstorm fell ill and Mintstorm was unable to risk losing a second medicine cat to the green cough epidemic, Hollystar went in to help the former medicine cat heal the cats), other lives unknown

Deputy

Oakclaw - dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes (mates with Sedgetail)

_Apprentice, Foxpaw_

Medicine Cat

Mintstorm - pale grey tom with white paws and blue eyes

_Apprentice, Fallowheart_

Warriors

Patchfern - grey-and-white patched she-cat with greying muzzle and yellow eyes (mother of Mintstorm and Shrewnose, oldest warrior in the clan)

_Apprentice, Pouncepaw_

Shrewnose - pale grey-brown tom with amber eyes (mates with Cederstep, father of Fallowheart, Pouncepaw, and Greypaw)

Pineblaze - dark brown tom with yellow eyes (father of Oakpaw and Poppypaw, mother deceased from greencough)

Nightpelt - black tom with amber eyes (mates with Seedstripe, father of Hollyclaw, Pricklepelt, Blackpaw, Volekit, and Sparrowkit)

_Apprentice, Poppypaw_

Cederstep - light brown tabby she-cat with green eyes (mates with Shrewnose, mother of Fallowheart, Pouncepaw, and Greypaw)

Thornleap - brown-furred tom with white paws and chest and amber eyes (mates with Hollystar, father of Goldenkit, Scorchkit, Lionkit, and Mousekit)

_Apprentice, Goosepaw_

Robinfur - ginger tabby she-cat with amber eyes (mother of Whiteclaw, Foxpaw, and Goosepaw, father unknown)

_Apprentice, Greypaw_

Hollyclaw - black she-cat with yellow eyes

Pricklepelt - black tom with yellow eyes

_Apprentice, Oakpaw_

Whiteclaw - white she-cat with mismatched amber and blue eyes

Owlfang - pale cream colored tom with green eyes

Apprentices

Fallowheart - pale brown tabby she-cat with green eyes (medicine cat apprentice)

Pouncepaw - pale brown she-cat with white chest, paws, and muzzle, and amber eyes

Greypaw - pale grey tom with yellow eyes

Oakpaw - brown tom with amber eyes

Poppypaw - dark brown, almost black she-cat with amber eyes

Foxpaw - ginger tabby tom with amber eyes

Goosepaw - very pale grey she-cat with yellow eyes

Queens

Hollystar - mother of Thornleap's kits: Goldenkit (golden-brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes), Scorchkit (dark reddish-brown tabby tom with white paws and under-belly and amber eyes), Lionkit (small pale golden-brown tom with yellow eyes), and Mousekit (pale brown tom with yellow eyes)

Seedstripe - brown tabby she-cat with yellow eyes, mother of Nightpelts kits: Volekit (dark grey tom with white paws and amber eyes) and Sparrowkit (pale brown tabby tom with yellow eyes)

Sedgetail - brown she-cat with yellow eyes, mother of Oakclaw's kits: Birchkit (almost completely white with some brown speckles tom with amber eyes), Brackenkit (brown tabby tom with yellow eyes), Briarkit (dark brown she-cat with yellow eyes), Mosskit (pale brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes), and Tawnykit (pale brown tabby she-cat with white paws, muzzle, and chest, and amber eyes)

Elders

Sootleap - lithe pale grey she-cat with very pale silvery-grey paws and green eyes (younger sister to Patchfern, retired early after a bout of greencough that also killed her kits)

Rowanfur - dark reddish-brown tom with yellow eyes and grey/white speckled pelt (father of Robinfur)

**ShadowClan**

Leader

Sunstar - dark ginger tabby tom with yellow eyes (mates with Quicknose, father of Amberkit and Flamekit)

6/9 lives left (he's a bit of a coward, he lost two lives to greencough)

Deputy

Ravenblaze - black she-cat with yellow eyes

_Apprentice, Sunpaw_

Medicine Cat

Sharpnose - tawny brown tom with brindled pelt and amber eyes

_Apprentice, Petalpaw_

Warriors

Nutstrike - brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Owlwhisker - white tom with pale brown speckled pelt and yellow eyes (mates with Dapplecloud, father of Petalpaw, Silverkit, Spottedkit, and Specklekit)

_Apprentice, Larchpaw_

Toadclaw - dark grey tom with green eyes (mates with Goldencloud, father of Sunpaw, Larchpaw, Duskpaw, Newtkit, and Nightkit)

Stoatfur - golden-brown tom with white chest, paws, and muzzle, and amber eyes

Blossompelt - tortoiseshell she-cat with ginger paws and black ears and blue eyes (mother of Petalpaw)

Adderstorm - pale brown tabby tom with dark brown stripes and hazel eyes

Fawnstripe - pale brown tabby she-cat with yellow eyes

Lizardclaw - dark grey, almost black tom with blue eyes

_Apprentice, Duskpaw_

Marshcry - dusky brown tom with hazel eyes

Clovershade - pale grey she-cat with white paws and amber eyes

Apprentices

Dovepaw - grey tabby she-cat with

Sunpaw - golden tabby she-cat with yellow eyes

Larchpaw - pale grey-brown she-cat with green eyes

Duskpaw - dark golden-brown tom with amber eyes

Petalpaw - white she-cat with ginger, black, and brown patches, and yellow eyes (medicine cat apprentice)

Queens

Goldencloud - pale golden she-cat with yellow eyes, mother of Toadclaw's kit: Newtkit (dark grey she-cat with green eyes) [almost six moons]

Dapplecloud - grey she-cat with white spots and blue eyes, mother of Owlwhisker's kits: Silverkit (pale grey tom with blue eyes), Spottedkit (pale brown she-cat with white spots and blue eyes), Specklekit (grey tom with dark grey speckles and blue eyes) [three moons]

Quicknose - chocolate tabby she-cat with copper eyes, mother of Sunstar's kits: Amberkit (golden-brown tabby she-cat with copper eyes) and Flamekit (ginger tabby tom with yellow eyes) [almost two moons]

Ravenblaze - mother of Nightkit (black she-cat with yellow eyes), Fawnkit (fawn tabby she-cat with amber eyes), and Pricklekit (pale brown she-cat with brindled pelt and amber eyes) [half a moon]

Cherrydapple - calico she-cat with lots of ginger spots and copper eyes, expecting Marshcry's kits

Elders

Stormheart - dark grey tom with blue eyes (mates with deceased she-cat, father of Toadclaw and Dovepaw)

Ferretleap - skinny reddish-brown tom with partially white-speckled pelt and yellow eyes

**WindClan**

Leader

Harestar - pale brown tom with yellow eyes (mates with Puddlenose, father of Molefur, Kinkear, Hawkpaw, and Rainpaw)

Deputy

Runningheart - white tom with one orange eye and one blue eye

Medicine Cat

Mintflower - silver tabby she-cat with green eyes

_Apprentice, Dewpaw_

Warriors

Fernsky - pale grey she-cat with greying muzzle, white-speckled pelt and green eyes (mates with Webfang, mother of Runningheart, Swallowdrop, and Woollyfur)

_Apprentice, Seedpaw_

Molefur - dark brown tom with stumpy tail and green eyes

Kinkear - brown tom with slightly twisted-looking ears and amber eyes (mates with deceased she-cat, father of Falconeye)

_Apprentice, Meadowpaw_

Woollyfur - pale grey, almost white tabby tom with very fluffy fur and green eyes (mates with deceased she-cat, father of Sootpaw and Dewpaw)

Swallowdrop - dark grey tabby she-cat with white paws and blue eyes (mates with Icepelt, mother of Mintflower, Haystripe, and Silvermask)

_Apprentice, Hawkpaw_

Icepelt - pale silver tom with orange eyes (mates with Swallowdrop, father of Mintflower, Haystripe, and Silvermask)

Heavyblaze - large, lumbering black tom with yellow eyes and long tail (somehow runs fast despite bulk, mates with Silvermask, father of Pebblekit, Mallowkit, and Blackkit)

Wasptalon - pale golden-brown she-cat with black paws, ears, and tail tip, and yellow eyes

_Apprentice, Rainpaw_

Haystripe - fawn tabby tom with hazel eyes

_Aprentice, Sootpaw_

Falconeye - brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Apprentices

Hawkpaw - brown tabby tom with yellow eyes

Rainpaw - blue-grey she-cat with hazel eyes

Meadowpaw - cream she-cat with amber eyes

Seedpaw - brown tabby with white stripes instead of brown tom

Sootpaw - dark grey tom with light grey patches and green eyes

Dewpaw - grey tabby tom with green eyes

Queens

Silvermask - silver tabby she-cat with white mask and mantle and hazel eyes, mother of Heavyblaze's kits: Pebblekit (grey tom with copper eyes), Mallowkit (white she-cat with blind blue eyes), and Blackkit (stocky black she-cat with orange-yellow eyes)

Rosetalon - pale ginger tabby she-cat with green eyes, expecting Haystripe's kits

Spottedtail - pale golden spotted tabby she-cat with large spots like a leopards and yellow eyes and very long slim tail, mother of: Tigerkit (gold tabby tom with dark brown, almost black stripes, and yellow eyes), Darkkit (dark grey, almost black tom with copper eyes), Spiderkit (skinny black tom with yellow eyes), and Emberkit (black she-cat with amber eyes)

Elders

Webfang - white tom with scarred, greying muzzle and cloudy blue eyes, went semi-blind early in life and retired to elders den after several accidents due to it (mates with Fernsky, father of Runningheart, Swallowdrop, and Woollyfur)

Nightrunner - skinny black tom with white-speckled pelt and yellow eyes (mates with deceased she-cat, father of Heavyblaze and Wasptalon)

Puddlenose - dark blue-grey she-cat with green eyes and white-speckled pelt (mates with Harestar, mother of Molefur, Kinkear, Hawkpaw, and Rainpaw)


	11. Chapter 10

**HAPPY HALLOWEEN! Sorry for updating so late, things got hectic. I actually went to school today, to participate in my school's celebrations. I didn't have much time to edit this, so forgive any mistakes!**

**Oh, and I've recently joined a forum here! If you're interested in roleplaying warrior cats with yours truly, check out: **** forum/TreeClan-FieldClan-LakeClan-CaveClan-RP/137124/**

**EDIT: I forgot reviews! Silly me.**

**Pandean wrote: "Ahhhh yay I see nettlekit! She better not die! None of them better die! But especially Nettlekit because OC lol**

**Of course your fic, your story! :) so I won't be too mad.**

**But man damnit otterpaw that was mean.**

**I hope Eslsposts gets punished soon! I hope I can get another update I'm so addicted to this story! It's great. :)"**

**Reply: "I thought you'd like seeing Nettlekit! I don't see Otterpaw's actions as mean...I mean, Lichenkit is the biggest one, and they're all pretty tiny. On top of that, it's leaf bare. Tactless, maybe, but Otterpaw is supposed to be pretty blunt. **

**Anyway, I would say you should be treated for that addiction, but then I'd lose a regular reader, so keep being addicted to this story! All of you! MWAHAHA!"**

**King simba rules wrote: "Is frost heart a male or female ?"**

**Reply: "Female. I would elaborate, but I sent you a PM. Glad to see you like the story!"**

**Crazywarriorsfan wrote: ".SHE TO MY REVIEW!?EEEEEEE"**

**Reply: "I always reply, darling! I like you to know that I read and think about each and every review I get."**

**Crazywarriorsfan wrote: "Omg,she had her kits 3"**

**Reply: "Buckle in, reader, it's about to get wild!"**

**Any****way, on with the story!**

**~Topaz**

* * *

The next four days were almost a blur for Brightpaw. She slept and ate mostly, though the fact that she was regularly being woken by mewling kits didn't help matters. Her kits didn't try to run away like Mistystream's did, but when they weren't sleeping or eating, they were pawing at her body with curiosity, yanking her tail, gumming her fur, and so on. One morning Brightpaw woke up to find that Nettlekit had managed to crawl across Brightpaw's back and fall there. Nettlekit wasn't hurt, but Brightpaw's heart just about stopped when she almost lay down on her daughter. They all wailed loudly when they wanted attention, too, meaning that Brightpaw was constantly awake and trying to comfort them to avoid disrupting others. She would have been up already, since Blueshine had given birth two days after Brightpaw, and Blueshine's kits were even louder than Brightpaw's. The worst part of being in the nursery with these kits, as she learned the day after they were born, wasn't a lack of sleep, but was making dirt. Brightpaw had thought Lilystep was joking when she said young kits had to be washed briskly in order to stimulate bowel movements. She wasn't. After that, Brightpaw could see why the queens visited the stream almost every day when their kits were young. The taste of that motherhood experience took quite a bit of water to scrub out.

So far, no cat had commented on her kits likeness to Eelspots. In fact, the only cats to come visit her kits had been Goldensky and Pebblefall, checking to make sure Brightpaw and her kits were healthy, Otterpaw and Scorchpaw, visiting their sister in the nursery to bring news, Brightpaw's mothers, to check on their daughter, and the other queens, usually coming to reel in an older kit who was paying too much attention to Brightpaw's kits. Eelspots had come in once to visit Dawnpool, but Brightpaw huddled over her kits, not wanting him to see them. She saw him look over with a gloeam in his eyes. He may not have said anything, but he knew, Brightpaw sensed, that they were fathered by him. Brightpaw wondered why he didn't admit that he was the father of her kits. After all, he had told her what was going to happen. Well, sort of. But it wasn't his fault she didn't understand! Was it? For the first time in almost a moon, doubt flew through Brightpaw's mind as to whether it was her fault. Maybe mentors were supposed to know better. For a moment, Brightpaw felt like she might be on to something that made sense...then she cast it out of her mind. No, that was ridiculous. She was supposed to listen to her mentor, no matter what. After he had left, she tried to sleep, but it was hard. The thought lingered after that, even if it was at the back of her mind.

Brightpaw had been told that Featherstar would visit the nursery after a queen gave birth, to visit future warriors of RiverClan. She had vague memories of a cat visiting the nursery that could have been Featherstar after she was born, though it could have been Troutface or Frostheart. Still, she was unpleasantly surprised when Featherstar shrugged through the mossy entrance. "I'm here to see Brightpaw," the pale grey leader said when Mistystream asked what she was there for.

Brightpaw began to shake as Featherstar came closer and looked down at Brightpaw. Brightpaw's kits were nursing or asleep, and Lichenkit had almost rolled to the edge of the nest. Almost without thinking about it, Brightpaw drew Lichenkit closer to Brightpaw and laid her tail over them. "Yes?"

Featherstar looked down at Brightpaw and her kits, a stony expression on her face. "They're quite small," the leader said finally, after what felt like seasons of silence. "Are you producing enough milk for them?"

Brightpaw was surprised by what seemed like a caring thing to say. "I-I think so," she said, finally, "Goldensky gave me some borage and said it was for milk production. He said since they were born so early, and because I'm still developing myself, that they didn't get enough to eat inside or something, so they would take a bit longer to catch up to their proper size."

Featherstar hmmphed. "I see. Having five kits in itself does tend to result in undersized kits." Her gaze fell on Lichenkit. "What are their names?" Brightpaw answered quickly, wishing that Featherstar would leave already. Instead, the silvery-grey leader sat down, indicating that she would be a bit longer. Gesturing to Lichenkit, Featherstar said, "I notice Lichenkit there already has a nice long coat of fur. That will doubtless help keep her warm through leaf-bare." Brightpaw said nothing. Brightpaw herself had rather short, sleek fur. Lichenkit looked practically nothing like Brightpaw. "I suppose it would be too much to hope that you're willing to name the father?" Brightpaw busied herself with grooming some stray furs on Tumblekit's head. "I expected as much." Featherstar rose. Brightpaw couldn't help but notice that Featherstar's eyes, which had been so cold before, now looked sad. "Brightpaw...I know that I've been hard on you. I know you must dislike me very much right now, but I want you to know..if the father of these kits is pressuring you to keep quiet, you can tell me. I can't promise to keep quiet, but I can-and will-promise to keep you safe. Please think about that, Brightpaw." Brightpaw shut her eyes, unable to look at Featherstar any longer. When she opened them again, Featherstar was gone.


	12. Chapter 11

**I AM SO SORRY EVERYONE. This past week has been extremely hectic-too long to go into-and I haven't had time to write. I don't even have time to respond to reviews this week. SORRY!**

**~Topaz**

* * *

Some time after Featherstar left, Dawnpool was called out of the den. With her kits asleep, Brightpaw decided to doze off for a while. She was woken up what felt like minutes later when two kits raced over to her nest and started badgering her. "When will they come play?" Greykit asked, poking Beechkit with an impatient tail. The small she-cat, born a moon after Brightpaw became an apprentice, was just starting to get some color in her previously kit-blue eyes. Right now they were green, but they were starting to veer towards yellow.

"All they do is sleep!" complained Lizardkit, pawing the ground in impatience. Brightpaw stifled a purr. Lizardkit was impatient as ever. He had Dawnpool's build, being slender and delicate-looking, with a narrow face and small ears. His tail was long and bushy, as if to make up for it.

"They won't be ready to play for a while, you two," Brightpaw chided them, "They're very small."

"But it's been for-eveeer!" whined Lizardkit, "I wanna play with them now! The others are boring, and Adderkit is super bossy!"Lichenkit mewled and turned over, then sat up and started pawing at Brightpaw's belly. "Hey! She looks a lot like Pricklekit!"

Fear went through Brightpaw. Lizardkit was right, only a few days after birth, Lichenkit was developing a stocky build, with long fur and a skinny tail. Her shoulders were extremely broad for a she-cat, and her body tapered into a slender back. All very much like Pricklekit-and by extension, Eelspots. "You're imagining things, Lizardkit," she snapped, not caring about whether he got upset.

Lizardkit ran away. Brightpaw sighed in relief, then froze as Dawnpool entered the nursery. The older queen stopped when her son came up to complain, then followed Lizardkit back to Brightpaw's side. "Is something wrong?" Dawnpool asked, looking down at Brightpaw. There was an odd look in her eyes. "Lizardkit said you snapped at him when he said something about your kits." Brightpaw shrugged, not knowing what to say. Was Dawnpool going to get mad at her for yelling at a kit? There was silence for a minute as the kits looked up expectantly at Dawnpool. Then she turned to Lilystep. "Lilystep, darling, could you watch my kits and Brightpaw's for a minute? I need to talk to her about something."

Lilystep blinked, then shrugged. "Sure." Brightpaw was about to argue, to say she was busy with her kits or apologize there, when Dawnpool nudged her out of her nest and through the nursery entrance. Brightpaw glanced back to see Lilystep settle down into Brightpaw's nest and tuck Brightpaw's kits closer. At least they were warm. Before she could remind Lilystep that Tumblekit liked to crawl all over his siblings, and that Nettlekit would give little nips when she was hungry and trying to find a nipple, Dawnpool tugged her further away from the nursery.

"What is it?" Brightpaw asked once they were behind the apprentice's den. The apprentices were all out training. Brightpaw watched Dawnpool's face, but was unable to keep herself from glancing back at the nursery. Sure, they were obnoxious, and Brightpaw hadn't gotten a good night's sleep since before they were born, but they were her kits. Brightpaw didn't feel comfortable leaving them with only Lilystep for company.

"Eelspots is the father, isn't he." It wasn't a question. Brightpaw jerked back and stared at Dawnpool, who just looked...guilty. Brightpaw didn't know why. "Featherstar spoke to me."

Brightpaw looked down. "It's not his fault..." she whispered, hating herself for saying it but knowing she had to.

Dawnpool's eyes widened. "Brightpaw, you knew the consequences. Every cat here knows you would never jeopardize serving your clan like that."

"But it isn't!" Brightpaw cried. Was Dawnpool suggesting that Eelspots should leave the clan? How could she? She was supposed to be his mate! Sure, her life was over now, and if Eelspots had made it more clear none of this would have happened, but she should have known better. She just had to ignore the part of her that said it was his job to teach her, not mate with her, or give her confusing messages. "He-he said it was secret warrior training! If I had realized what secret warrior training meant, I would have said no! He didn't know that I didn't know that secret warrior training was mating! Please don't tell Featherstar to banish him!" Brightpaw was whining at this point, her voice in a low wail, and her fur was bushed out. Brightpaw braced herself for Dawnpool's attack, for Dawnpool to yell at her or tell her they were both being banished.

Instead, she felt Dawnpool's pelt brush against her as Dawnpool licked the top of her head. "Oh, Brightpaw...I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry."

Then Brightpaw broke down. Hearing Dawnpool verify all the thoughts in the back of her head, how Eelspots had done the wrong thing, how it wasn't his right, how he should have known better. It destroyed the barrier she built up against it. Brightpaw wailed into Dawnpool's fur. She cried for her lost innocence, for her wasted apprenticeship, and for the abuse she had taken all in the name of the mentor/apprentice relationship, just because she thought she was supposed to.

* * *

**...So that's a pretty short chapter. It packs a punch, though. IMHO.**

**Anyway, see you next week.**


	13. Chapter 12

**So...last week happened. It was pretty complicated, but it's not important right now. What's more important right now is A) What's going to happen with Brightpaw this chapter, and B)...it's my birthday tomorrow! I'm turning 18. And no, I didn't vote this year. I wasn't born early enough to meet the cut off. I'm spending tomorrow working on my resume/applying to jobs, and putting together an adorable tiny dollhouse kit! I'm into miniatures this year. :)**

**Anyway, reviews! Gosh there are a lot. I love it! Like, to see all of them, I have to look on two separate pages! This makes me happy! **

**ImSpiderman wrote: "What's this? I MISSED THE LAST TWO CHAPTERS!? Well anyways, I love her kits already, but I hope none of them die. But dang! Last chapter, Otterpaw went savage! Also more points for Brightpaw for discovering more wonders of children. May her taste buds rest in peace.**

**Speaking about children... *takes deep breath***

**I'm sure you know right now that I hate Eelspots with a passion. But you know, he's not as bad as before. I wish. That cat deserves to be thrown across a highway. If only Featherstar pieces it together soon. But it's nice that she is supportive. Eelspots should get over his edgy, tragic backstory and treat all she-cats with respect dang it! Rant over."**

**Reply: "YOU MISSED TWO CHAPTERS?! OH NOES, MY FAITHFUL READERS MUST KNOW IMMEDIATELY! I will get on inventing telepathic notifications so you don't miss any more chapters! In the meantime, enjoy this chapter!**

**I hope last chapter satisfied your wish for Featherstar to figure it out! Sorry, Eelspots is pretty much doomed."**

**Crazywarriorsfan wrote: "OMG plz put more"**

**Reply: "Well, if it makes you happy...here's another chapter!"**

**Pandean wrote: "The truth is out.**

**Now I hope Eelspots gets what's coming to him."**

**Reply: "I like the cut of your jib, sir. And I say sir in a gender-neutral term, because adding all the other pronouns makes it too long-winded. Sir in this case means sir/madam/gender neutral term/other...I think I just made the explanation more long-winded then the joke would have been in the first place. Anyway, thanks for being a regular reader and reviewer!"**

**ImSpiderman wrote: "She said it... poor Brightpaw. This chapter made me happy and sad at the same time. Is it still too late to strangle Eelspots?"**

**Reply: "It's never too late! Step right up, ladies, gentlemen, and people who are ery fancy but don't identify as a lady or a gentleman, it only costs ONE review to strangle the abominable Eelspots (offer will not strangle him in the story itself, only in the review world, this offer only valid until story is marked complete)"**

**Featherfrost of Stormclan wrote: "I BEG U! PLS MAKE DA NEXT CHAPPIE!"**

**Reply: "No begging necessary, the next chapter is here!"**

**Guest wrote: "Wishing you would update twice a week lol but I understand you are busy and such."**

**Reply: "I wish I could update twice a week too. I just don't feel like the updating is stable enough for me to promise that. Yet."**

**On with the story!**

**Note: I'm fudging the timeline. I get it confused and I wrote this, for StarClan's sake!**

**~Topaz**

* * *

As much as Brightpaw would have liked to hide behind Dawnpool all day, she had to go back and care for her kits again. When they got back to the nursery, it was apparently just in time. Tumblekit had been crawling around and nuzzling his siblings. Most of them either didn't care at all or sneezed and snuffled before ignoring him, but Lichenkit was nipping him every time he came near. "Lichenkit, stop that!" Brightpaw scolded, rushing over to pick up her smallest kit so he would stop going near his sister. Tumblekit squirmed around in her mouth, mewling plaintively.

Lilystep quickly got up, seeming relieved to no longer have to sit next to Brightpaw's kits. "Thanks, Lilystep," Brightpaw said, not wanting the older queen to think she had no manners. Lilystep merely sniffed and walked away. Brightpaw shrank a little bit back, then settled into her nest.

Immediately, Nettlekit rushed forward and latched on with an almost savage hunger. "Ow!" Brightpaw's eyes widened as she felt a few small pricks. She looked down and pulled her daughter slightly away, only for Nettlekit to bare her new small teeth at her. Brightpaw sighed and released Nettlekit, who returned to attacking Brightpaw's nipples with a hungry vengeance.

At least Nettlekit was the only one who seemed to be growing in her teeth yet. Pebblefall had warned her the last time he looked over them that Nettlekit would probably get her teeth in soon. Already their ears were starting to perk up a little bit and their eyes were starting to look ready to open. Brightpaw wasn't ready for the idea of these kits running around and playing with the other kits.

Later that day, Pebblefall and Swiftpaw came in with fish for the queens. While Pebblefall talked to Lilystep and Dawnpool, Swiftpaw walked over to Brightpaw, looking kind of embarassed. "Uh...this is for you." Swiftpaw put down the fish in front of Brightpaw and licked his chest fur, trying not to look like he was watching Brightpaw's kits.

"You can look at them if you want," Brightpaw offered, feeling that Stonepaw was curious but didn't want to say anything. She moved her tail and nudged Beechkit over to a nipple, since he seemed to be having trouble finding one among his sisters.

Swiftpaw glanced down at them, then away. "Um..." He hesitated, then said, "So, um...their father...is he a loner? Cause I-I mean, I kind of thought-before-you were being friendly...but now?" His voice trailed off and he looked at his paws.

Pain shot through Brightpaw's chest. Swiftpaw had liked her? Obviously now he thought she had a loner mate or something, but before? Brightpaw wanted to correct him, tell him no, they weren't a loners, that she hadn't chosen to have them and that if she had she would have never picked their father to father them. But before she could do so, Swiftpaw left.

Brightpaw wanted to go after Swiftpaw, but then Nettlekit rolled away from her belly and started mewling. Brightpaw knew by now that mew meant she needed to help with a bowel movement. Sighing, Brightpaw bent down and picked Nettlekit out of the clump of kits.

* * *

What seemed like ages later, Brightpaw woke up to Featherstar yowling outside. The remains of the fish Swiftpaw had left for Brightpaw were gone, and the nursery was empty except for Blueshine's kits who were asleep in their nest. Brightpaw glanced down. Seeing her own kits asleep, she slunk out of the nursery, quiet as a mouse. When she got outside, she walked over to sit next to Frostheart. Frostheart bent down and nuzzled the top of Brightpaw's head. "I'm so sorry I didn't notice in the first place," Frostheart whispered. Brightpaw glanced up at her mother, confused. Why the sudden concern?

Then something occurred to her. Lilystep and Dawnpool had been called out of the nursery by Pebblefall. It had been very quiet outside when Brightpaw fell asleep. Was Featherstar calling a a meeting of senior warriors? Was it about Brightpaw?

"It is never a happy moment when I have to do this," Featherstar said quietly. Her voice carried through the clearing. "Usually, breaking the code we live by results in a punishment carried out by the deputy. Sometimes, no matter how difficult it is to accept, we have to realize that some cats are not cut out for clan life.

"Two moons ago, I stood here and told you that one of this clan's apprentice's had become pregnant, and that while we didn't know who the father was, Brightpaw was going to be in trouble whatever happened. This is not an event any clan should have to deal with. Yesterday, I learned that the problem wasn't Brightpaw being pregnant. The problem was why she was pregnant.

"Eelspots, you raped Brightpaw, your apprentice, the cat who you were assigned to teach and mentor. But instead of training Brightpaw to become a warrior, you tortured her and ruined her apprenticeship. For this, you are banned from RiverClan forever. You have until sunset to leave the territory. If any cat finds you on RiverClan territory after today, they have permission to use any means necessary to chase you out."

Brightpaw looked over by the warrior's den. Far from looking charming, Eelspots was snarling, his eyes narrowed at Brightpaw. Brightpaw began to shake. Was he going to attack her? Apparently he was going to try, at least. Before he got more then a step towards her, Troutface and Snowbelly grabbed Eelspots and pulled him back. The two warriors dragged Eelspots out of camp. They returned briefly. "We sent him running for the edge of our territory," Snowbelly reported to Featherstar.

Featherstar nodded, her expression cool. "Mossflower, Cinderfrost, and Darkstorm, follow Eelspots and make sure he's off our territory."

* * *

**YAAAAAYYYY! EELSPOTS IS GONE! FIN-FUCKING-ALLY!**

**Have a good week!**

**~Topaz**


	14. Chapter 13

**HALLO! Or as you would say in English, hello! I'm taking German this year. We are now on chapter dreizehn! Thirteen!**

**I'm bored, whatever. I'm also a leetle disappointed that none of you mentioned my birthday in your reviews. I didn't have the best birthday celebration. Meaning none, I had none. BUT I'M MOVING ON FROM THAT (and holding a grudge for all eternity against the rain which ruined driving conditions...)**

**Review time!**

**HiyaStacyL wrote: "Thank u for this much needed chapter! BAD EELSPOTS! *Kills him*,**

**Ok, all done and dusted, can I suggest that Brightpaw should be called... *Drum roll please!***  
**Brightburger- Ok don't worry I'm joking, but you should call her Brightrain, because all the time it feels like she's being rained on.**

**Thanks for reading, not sure if you'll reply, but thanks!**

**Stacy..."**

**Reply: "Trust me, I needed the chapter just as much as you did. He deserves to die slowly and painfully. :D You'll find out if that happens soon enough!**

**Hmm...Brightpaw, your new name is Brightburger! Nah, just doesn't roll off the tongue like Stargleam...I kid, I kid.**

**But in all seriousness, while I love the idea and the thought behind it, I'm not sure if it suits Brightpaw's personality. And -rain is a bit of an awkward ending. However, I love the fact that you were into this story enough to put so much thought into a name for Brightpaw and send it in! I love when the readers interact with the story!**

**Oh, I always reply. Except for one chapter where I was really rushing, but as a principle, I always reply.**

**Thanks for reading, Stacy!"**

**Pandean wrote: "HA! Take that Eelspots you awful motherfucker! You should've been killed because banishing is too good for you! Poor Brightpaw, but at least no one thinks she's a slut and everything now. Hopefully the clan will all begin to treat her with respect again. I'm glad that you're using Nettlekit! I feel bad for Eelspots's real mate though. It must be super hard to find out your mate raped his apprentice. I hope the two of them grow close. I'm glad Dawnpool told what was going on. I also like how realistically Brightpaw's motherhood experience is. It's not all sugars and rainbows because it shouldn't be because she's totally in over her head but you can see she's trying. I can't help but think this might not be the end of Brightpaw's situation though.****"**

**Reply: "Yeah, banishing probably was too good for him, we'll see if he has the grace to stay away from the clans from now on or if Featherstar will have to take stronger actions. Most of the clan will definitely start respecting her now. Volefur won't, but he's an old grumpy elder, he doesn't respect anyone. ;) I enjoy using Nettlekit! She jump-started all the kits, actually, without her there would be no others, so I adore her wittle fwuffy face! **

**Dawnpool was not expecting that, and it was very upsetting. They've had two litters together, after all. It's definitely hard on both she-cats. And actually, if you go back, Featherstar told Dawnpool. I put in a little detail at the beginning-Dawnpool gets called out of the nursery to talk to Featherstar, because Dawnpool was being kind and supportive towards Brightpaw to begin with, so Featherstar asked Dawnpool to talk to Brightpaw about it. So that was REALLY hard for Dawnpool.**

**I remembered bowel movements from ages ago, and while in other stories it seemed just a tad too gross to include, Brightpaw is learning all this stuff. So yeah, we get to read about her licking her children's butts. Ugh. As for your last thought...you'll just have to see! :D"**

**ImSpiderman wrote: "Oh. My. Fucking. StarClan. **

**Eelspots is now banished. Time to track him down and destroy- er I mean... um reducate him on rights and wrongs. Yeah! Reducate..."**

**Reply: "Hey now, destroying Eelspots could be part of his reeducation! You never know."**

**Apologies for taking so long, I've been working on the storyline for this. It has seeccrreett details on it, too.**

**Anyway. Story time!**

* * *

_1 moon later_

"Alright, good training session. Go bring that to the elders, you two, then Brightpaw, you can go back to your kits."

"Thanks, Hawkclaw." Brightpaw followed Scorchpaw with her two water voles and placed them in front of Ripplefoot and Volefur. Volefur merely grunted and set to devouring the vole.

"Thanks, Brightpaw," Ripplefoot said. Brightpaw smiled at the elder. Despite being related to...Brightpaw shut her eyes. No. She wouldn't think of that now.

"I'll see you later, Ripplefoot." Brightpaw left the elder's den and hurried to the nursery. Just in time, too, for as she entered, two small kits ran into her.

"Oof!"

Brightpaw looked down sternly at the small kits who had been trying to escape. "Tumblekit, Adderkit, did you get permission to leave the nursery?"

Adderkit nodded quickly. "I did! I wanna hear a story from the elders!"

Brightpaw sighed. "Then you may go, Adderkit. Tumblekit, I believe you've been told you may not leave the nursery under any circumstances?"

Her smallest son scuffed the ground, looking down sullenly. "It's not faiw," he muttered, "I nevew get to leave! Why not?"

Brightpaw's heart wrenched, but she knew she couldn't change her mind now. "You know the rules, Tumblekit. Why don't you play with Blueshine's kits?" Several days after her kits had opened their eyes for the first time, Brightpaw had been persuaded into letting them out of the nursery to hear a story from the elders. Just a few minutes out in the cold had been enough to give Tumblekit and Shadekit colds.

After that, Goldensky had recommended that Brightpaw keep them in the nursery until they grew bigger or it got warm again. At a moon old, Tumblekit and Shadekit were finally starting to catch up to their littermates, but in general all five were too small for Brightpaw to feel comfortable letting them out again.

Herding her reluctant son over to their nest, Brightpaw settled down. Shadekit was asleep, but the minute they felt their mother return, Nettlekit and Lichenkit wriggled around and latched on. Still sulking, Tumblekit walked over to where Splashkit, Swallowkit, Specklekit, and Greykit were. Listening to the conversation, Brightpaw heard them complaining about Pricklekit.

Brightpaw frowned. Dawnpool had mentioned how she was worried about Pricklekit the other day. He was either asleep all the time, or he just didn't want to play with his siblings. Out of the five, Pricklekit had taken Eelspots being banished the hardest. Since nobody was willing to explain why his father had to go away to Pricklekit's satisfaction, Pricklekit now was very angry with his mother and Brightpaw.

Lilystep walked into the nursery and went over to the nest where her kits were asleep. "Is something wrong?" Brightpaw asked, concerned.

Lilystep shook her head. "I'm fine. Have you seen Mistystream's kits?"

Brightpaw glanced around. "Just Greykit. The others might be in the elder's den, though. Why?"

"Mistystream has greencough. Goldensky said it might be better if I nurse her kits for a while to avoid them getting sick." Brightpaw shivered. The clan had avoided greencough so far. Hopefully, Mistystream would be the only one.

Lichenkit had apparently not liked what she was getting. With a hiss, the small she-cat batted Brightpaw's belly and rolled away, whining. Brightpaw sighed and nudged her daughter back. "What's wrong, Lichenkit?" Brightpaw began grooming the top of Lichenkit's head, then stopped. Lichenkit was burning up. "Lichenkit?"

Lichenkit opened her eyes, still kit blue, and looked up pitifully at Brightpaw. "It hurts!" she whimpered, "I don't feel good, Bwigh'paw!"

Brightpaw glanced over at Blueshine, who was watching her kits play. "I'll watch them," Blueshine said," seeing Brightpaw's look, "You take Lichenkit to the medicine cat's den."

Brightpaw picked up her daughter by the scruff, trying to ignore the round of whimpering that caused. She rushed to the meicine cat's den, only to see both meicine cats busy. Pebblefall was mixing together herbs, while Goldensky looked over Silverkit and Smokekit, frowning with worry while behind him Mistystream sniffled and fretted. When he saw Brightpaw coming in with Lichenkit, he groaned. "Another one?"

Not waiting for a response, Goldensky came over and took Lichenkit from Brightpaw. Putting her next to the other kits, he looked the three over. "I was hoping it wasn't true," Goldensky mumbled to himself, looking scared for some reason. Brightpaw wondered if he was thinking about what happened when he was an apprentice. She knew it had been bad, but she didn't think Goldensky was still upset about it. She hoped it wouldn't affect his medical care.

After a few minutes, Goldensky looked up. He seemed surprised to see her still there. "Go back to the nursery," he snapped, "Mistystream can care for Lichenkit until they're no longer contagious. In the meantime, your other kits will need you."

"Will she be okay?" Brightpaw asked, trying not to whimper.

Goldensky shrugged. "I don't know. But I won't be able to help her with you hovering!"

* * *

**What's that? New conflict just when you think the story isn't over?**

**Will Lichenkit die?**

**Why is Pricklekit so secretive?**

**Maybe I'll answer the questions...soon. ;)**

**~Topaz**


	15. Chapter 14

**Hello hello hello everyone! Ugh. I'm exhausted. I don't know about you, but holidays make me more tired, not less! I have these weird rules where I have to make gifts for like, twenty-thirty people at my school, so I'm very busy knitting right now. I have two projects on needles right now and one waiting to be cast on when I have time.**

**Moving on. Review time!**

**Crazywarriorsfan wrote: "DDDDIDIIIEEE EELSPOTS DDDIIIIEEEEEEEEE YOU APPEENTICE RAPING MOTHER(meep)ER**

***a sleek,silver cat is seen ripping EELSPOTS to shreds*"**

**Reply: "I appreciate the sentiment! Have fun tearing him up!"**

**Crazywarriorsfan wrote: "NU LICHENKIT U FEISTY GURL U CAN'T DIE"**

**Reply: "Lichenkit: . I'll die if I want to. Me: Ignore Lichenkit, she's a little bitchy sometimes...I mean always, she's always bitchy."**

**Jayo23 wrote: "I just realized im 4 days late. Oh well."**

**Reply: "For what? You're never too late to review!"**

**Echo of CrazyClan wrote: "Yay! :) By anychace do u think you could go get Eelspots...**

***Pulls out a choping nife***  
**"Hello Eelly..."**

**Welp it's HiyaStacyL with a real account! Poor wittle Lichenkit! *Picks up Lichenkit* "Ohhhh u poor little kitty* , *Go shoves healing herbs in her mouth***

**Echo/Stacy Over and Out!"**

**Reply: "Here you go! *shoves Eelspots over* ^u^ Eelspots: v-_-v Leave me alone!"**

**Guest who I am currently dubbing Venus wrote: "I love this! X3 I totally think Swiftpaw and Brightpaw should hook up and Swiftpaw can be the kits father. This is my new favorite book!"**

**Reply: "Good to know I have a new reader! Out of curiosity, do you think Swiftpaw should be the father of Brightpaw's kits right now, or that they should have kits together?"**

**Pandean wrote: "TOO SHORT"**

**Reply: "I'm sorry! I'll try to make them longer."**

**ImSpiderman wrote: "NooooooOOOOOOOOO! LICHENKITISMYBABYANDSTARTCLAN'SGIFTHOWCANSHEHAVEACOLDANDPOSSIBLYDIE! JDJDJGJJSJFJKD...**

**Ahem. Sorry but when I read that Lichenkit got a cold my heart broke in two. Brightpaw has gone through so much, but suffer waaay too much. But then again, life isn't without suffering...but at least I hope Lichenkit lives."**

**Reply: "I love seeing people's reactions! I'm cold, I know. But you're right, Brightpaw has gone through an awful lot. Lets all hope for that!"**

**Story time!**

**~Topaz**

* * *

The next morning, Brightpaw was coming back from dawn patrol when she heard her name being called. She walked over to the medicine cat's den and found Pebblefall with Lichenkit at his feet. The poor apprentice looked over-worked. "You can take her back tot he nursery now," Pebblefall said shortly, "Just come back later and I'll give you some herbs to give her this evening before she goes to sleep, and then again tomorrow morning."

Brightpaw purred in relief, bending down to pick up Lichenkit by the scruff. "Thank you so much, Pebblefall."

"Oh, and Goldensky said that you can probably let Beechkit and Nettlekit out of the nursery to go over to the elder's den and the freshkill pile for short periods of time." Pebblefall thought a moment, then added, "Lichenkit, too, in a few days, once her cough clears up."

"Good to know," Brightpaw said. "It'll be easier to keep two in the nursery at all times than all five."

"I'm hungry!" Lichenkit whined. With a sigh, Brightpaw trotted over to the nursery. Pricklekit passed her. As Brightpaw entered the nursery, Pricklekit shoved past her. Brightpaw was going to scold him, but thought better of it. She went over to her nest and put Lichenkit down.

Lichenkit was surprisingly quiet, though Brightpaw realized as she lay down that her daughter was actually asleep. She probably hadn't been able to sleep much last night, Brightpaw thought sympathetically. Mistystream's three kits had been diagnosed with greencough last night, and Brightpaw could hear them coughing and whining when she was woken this morning for the dawn patrol.

"Adderkit, you don't have a thorn in your paw, relax. Brightpaw, have you seen Pricklekit?" Dawnpool looked up from where she was peering at Adderkit's pad while Lizardkit watched with worry.

Brightpaw glanced out the nursery entrance. Pebblefall was bending down to talk to Pricklekit, showing him a few fuzzy leaves. Pricklekit looked very serious. She returned to her nest. "He's with Pebblefall. He wanted to know about some herb or something, I think."

Dawnpool sighed. "As long as he's talking to someone." Brightpaw shrugged. She wanted to get something to eat, but the freshkill pile was empty except for a mouse that looked all bones. "I saved a water vole for you," Dawnpool said. She pushed a small vole over to where Brightpaw sat.

"Thanks." Brightpaw picked up the vole and started eating.

"I want some!" Nettlekit jumped up and down in their nest and tried to reach the vole.

Brightpaw glanced at Dawnpool. "Is she old enough?"

Dawnpool stood up and walked over to examine Nettlekit. "She does have some teeth coming in. Just strip the fur off a small bit for her and make sure there are no bones in it. Most kits take a while to like anything other then milk, though."

"I'll like it!" Nettlekit insisted, glaring at Dawnpool.

Brightpaw sighed. "Nettlekit, don't be rude to Dawnpool, she's only trying to help." Nettlekit's only response was a grumble. Brightpaw pulled off a chunk of meat and made sure there was no fur or bones in it, then put it in front of Nettlekit. "Here you go, Nettlekit. Eat it slowly, okay?"

Nettlekit eyed the chunk of meat dubiously, then opened her little mouth and bit the food. Pulling the meat into her mouth, she started to chew it. And keep chewing it. Nettlekit seemed to chew it forever before deciding to swallow. "I like it! I want more!"

"Huh. Well, she should be fine then." Dawnpool seemed doubtful that Nettlekit was telling the truth, but didn't argue. Dawnpool returned to her nest and Nettlekit started trying to go for the rest of water vole.

"No, Nettlekit, the rest is for me." Brightpaw pushed Nettlekit away gently, making sure not to make her roll into her siblings. Grumbling, Nettlekit crawled over to Brightpaw's side and started nursing.

"Oh, I took Shadekit, Beechkit, and Tumblekit to the elder's den," Blueshine said.

Brightpaw stared at the older queen. "Why? They're not allowed outside!"

Blueshine rolled her eyes. "Brightpaw, relax. They were bouncing all over and had too much energy. They'll be fine. Lilystep and I carried them over so they didn't have to be in the cold too long, and Blackwater promised to bring them back once they needed to leave. He hasn't gotten to see his great-grandchildren yet, you know."

Brightpaw grumbled. Maybe a moon ago she would have fallen for that line, but not now. "Blackwater only uses that excuse when he's bored. Last time he saw them, Tumblekit got a cold."

"Oh. Well, I'm sure it'll work out. They're bigger now, after all. And Ripplefoot said she'd make sure he brings them back."

A few minutes later, Pricklekit trotted into the nursery, looking smug for some reason. He smelled of catmint. Instantly Dawnpool was on him. "Have you sneaked some of the catmint?" she asked her son, "That is medicine for cats with greencough!"

"No!" Pricklekit said, scowling at Dawnpool. "I asked Pebblefall what helps greencough and he told me, and he showed me some! It smells good."

Dawnpool relaxed. "Alright, good. As long as you didn't eat any. It's only to be used for sick cats." Pricklekit yawned. "Now come take a nap, you look worn out."

Brightpaw watched Dawnpool and Pricklekit settle down, then closed her eyes herself for a rest. Some time later, she woke to movement at the nursery entrance, and looked over to see Darkstorm looking in "Sandstripe said you're needed for a hunting patrol, Brightpaw."

Brightpaw sighed. "I'll be right there." Darkstorm disappeared.

* * *

**Sorry if this was too short for your taste, I'm having difficulty writing longer chapters.**

**Have a good week!**

**~Topaz**


	16. Chapter 15

**I deeply apologize for the last two weeks! I usually spend Monday writing/editing the piece to update, but I've been really busy the last two Mondays. At least next Monday is the day after Christmas, so hopefully I'll be less busy. Then again, my video game programming class has doubled in size from three to six students and we're in a tiny room, so I'm sure I'll be stressed out for ages. Adulting is not fun, kids.**

**Reviews!**

**Featherfrost of Stormclan wrote: "More! I love this story so much! Maybe , as a suggestion, you should make Brighpaw get her warrior name (Maybe Brightcloud, Brightspirit, Brightsong, Brightstream, Brightflower) and then go on a patrol with Troutface, Frostheart, Sandstripe, and Featherstar and they run into Eelspots and his band of rouges. then he can take one of Featherstar's lives and the group can knock out everyone else. Then he rapes her and her mothers with his group watching and they all run away cackling like maniacs when a patrol comes. Also... *pulls out giant air-filled hammer* EELSPOTS IM COMING FOR YOU! *5 seconds later a silver and white cat with wings is seen chasing Eelspots around bonking him in the head with a giant air-filled hammer*"**

**Reply: "0.0...**

**...**

**Well. Um. I appreciate your enthusiasm! Hopefully you guys will like the name I've picked out for Brightpaw, though you won't find out THIS week.**

**But, um...no.**

**This is gonna sound preachy, but I actually am kind of upset by this suggestion. What is the point of this, plot wise, do you think? Do you think raping Brightpaw/her mother/her mother will push the plot forward in a way something else wouldn't? Or is it just a matter of it being so horrifying that you want it to happen? Rape is a serious topic. Using it to shock people is not okay. It minimizes the issues caused and causing it. Please think about why you might have suggested something like this and what it means about your outlook on sexual assault.**

**On a more cheerful note, thanks for liking the story!"**

**~Topaz**

* * *

It had taken ages for Brightpaw to settle her kits enough so that they would go back to sleep when she returned from sunset patrol. Finally, she dozed off, only to wake at movement in the entrance. She looked up, blinking the sleep from her eyes. "Pricklekit?" she mumbled, confused. For a moment, she felt a rush of fear, thinking Eelspots was at the entrance of the nursery. Then the last bits of her dream faded away and she realized it was just Pricklekit,with mussed fur and a proud expression.

"Pricklekit!" Dawnpool leapt out of her nest faster than Brightpaw would have expected and raced over to her son. "What were you thinking, why would you leave in the middle of the night?" Dawnpool began grooming Pricklekit briskly, then stopped, her nose twitching. "Were you eating catmint?" she asked sharply, nosing Pricklekit's face as he struggled to avoid her. "I thought I made it clear that's only for sick cats! Are you not feeling well?"

Pricklekit wriggled out of Dawnpools grasp and ducked under her belly to slink over to their nest. "I wasn't!" he insisted, his voice high-pitched. "I was just watching Silverkit! I wanna play with her..." Whatever Pricklekit was about to say, Brightpaw didn't hear it over the giant yawn.

"We'll discuss this in the morning," Dawnpool said, lying back in the nest and pulling her wayward son to her. "For now, go to sleep. I wouldn't be surprised if you woke up with a cough yourself. You know better then to go near the sick cats."

Dawnpool continued to scold Pricklekit lightly, but Brightpaw turned her attention to the soft snores of her kits. Soon enough, Brightpaw was asleep.

* * *

The next morning, Brightpaw watched Beechkit and Nettlekit fight over who got to bring the vole to her, idly wondering whether it was necessary to break up. They seemed to be not very annoyed, mostly just playing around by the freshkill pile, but it would be nice to get food sooner rather than later. Just as she was about to call for them to stop it, she heard shouting come from the medicine cat's den.

"I'm telling you, it was right there when I went to sleep! Are you sure you didn't move them without telling anyone?"

"I would never! I know not to mess up the order!"

Brightpaw peeked out of the nursery and saw other cats peeking out of their dens. The shouting seemed to be coming from the medicine cat's den, but that didn't make any sense. Goldensky and Pebblefall were two of the most easy going cats. What would make them shout at each other like that?

"If you would just tell me where you put the catmint, we could end this now!" Goldensky shouted from the den, "We have cats with greencough in here, this is not the time to be playing juvenile pranks!"

"Oh, I'm being juvenile, am I? What about when you wasted a whole moon sneaking out to see Kinkear as an apprentice?!"

"You don't have any right to discuss things that happened and ended long before you were born!"

Brightpaw stared, shocked, as Goldensky raced out of the medicine cat's den and straight out of camp, past a wide-eyed Rainears. Some minutes later, Pebblefall left the medicine cat's den, tail dragging and ears flat. When Darkstorm approached him, Pebblefall snapped at Darkstorm before walking into the leader's den. Darkstorm returned to sharing tongues with Otterpaw, his fur puffed up with irritation but slowly flattening.

Brightpaw glanced at the senior warriors. They looked worried. She had never heard about Goldensky having a forbidden relationship, but she didn't really care about that at the moment. Were they really out of catmint? What if her kits got sick?

"Nettlekit, Beechkit! Inside now!"

"But-"

"Now!" Brightpaw snapped, fear making her cross.

Beechkit trotted inside, though he looked disappointed, but Nettlekit stood her ground and glared at Brightpaw. "Why?" she asked.

Brightpaw started to shout, then stopped and took a deep breath, trying to calm down. "I don't want you out so long," she said, trying to make her voice calm. "It's cold. Your sister already got a cold, remember? If you come inside now, I'll go to the halfbridge later and find something interesting for you kits to play with, okay?"

Nettlekit was not swayed. "Will I get to come too?" she asked expectantly.

Brightpaw shook her head. "But I'm sure tomorrow will be warmer and then you can play with Dawnpools kits outside, okay?"

"Okay, Brightpaw," Nettlekit muttered. Brightpaw watched her daughter walk into the nursery, slow and sullen, then picked up the vole and a smaller mouse and walked in. All her kits were growing in their teeth and starting to develop a taste for freshkill, though Beechkit disliked tough bits, and Lichenkit disliked the taste of freshkill, insisting on eating a few bites of whatever Brightpaw was eating out of what seemed to be stubborn pride. Brightpaw suspected Lichenkit would eat more prey and drink less milk once the fish started coming back. Some fish had a relatively mild taste compared to mouse and water voles. However, Brightwas was concerned about Lichenkit for other reasons. Ever since Dawnpool had said Lichenkit wouldn't like freshkill, Lichenkit seemed to have a grudge against the kindly queen for no apparent reason. Brightpaw felt awful every time Lichenkit hissed at Dawnpool or avoided her touch. Punishing Lichenkit only seemed to go so far. It just didn't seem to affect Lichenkit for long.

Brightpaw entered the nursery and put down the two pieces of freshkill. Immediately, her kits separated from their play and raced over to claim the food. Brightpaw sighed. "Lichenkit, stop, you can share that mouse with Shadekit, don't keep it all for yourself. And don't forget to offer Adderkit and Specklekit some." Specklekit and Adderkit had been playing with Lichenkit and Tumblekit when Brightpaw walked in, and now looked on with hope. Brightpaw knew Dawnpool's kits were always hungry, partly because Dawnpool was eating less and thus producing less milk. Brightpaw couldn't get Dawnpool to eat, but she could at least push her children to share their food with Dawnpool's kits.

Brightpaw carried the vole over to her nest and sat down to start eating. Instantly, Tumblekit raced over. "I want some!" he cried. With a sigh, Brightpaw bit off a large piece and stripped it of fur and bones. Her mouth watered at the scent of vole, but she pushed it to her son. As he began eating, she started grooming his fur. Tumblekit had been trying to sneak out of the nursery all morning, and his fur was ruffled and dirty. Tumblekit didn't complain until he finished eating, at which point he pulled away and went away. Brightpaw started eating again, stripping some pieces of meat and putting them to the side for Nettlekit and Beechkit to come take when they were hungry. By the time she was done eating, the part she'd put aside for her children was gone. Nettlekit was curled up in a corner grooming herself while Shadekit and Adderkit shared tongues. Brightpaw closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

**Have a beautiful week! Here's hoping everyone will finish wrapping/buying/making gifts for friends/family by the holidays, or cooking, or doing whatever you do this time of year!**

**~Topaz**


	17. Chapter 16

**Oh boy, Christmas was EXHAUSTING! I am tired. What about y'all? But I got a lot of cool shit that is good at distracting me. Like very distracting. I really need to stop remembering this story ONLY on Monday.**

**You know, when I stop being ADHD.**

**REVIEW TIME!**

**Snowingheart wrote: "This story is really good. Is her warrior ceremony gonna be late?"**

**Reply: "Thanks! I love knowing that people like my stories! And yes, that isn't even remotely spoilerific. I mean, she is resuming her training, but between the fact that her mentor wasn't training her that well to start out with, she has a brand new mentor now that her mentor has been banished, and that she's missed at least two or three moons of full training because of pregnancy and/or childcare, she will have her ceremony significantly later than her siblings. :( Poor Brightpaw, she deserves her name now for what she's gone through."**

**Moving on!**

**~Topaz**

* * *

Brightpaw left the nursery after breaking apart five arguments between her kits, Blueshine's, and Greykit. Sometimes it seemed like her daughter's attempted to thwart Brightpaws training at every step. Not a minute went by without Nettlekit shouting at someone for invading her personal space, Shadekit following the older kits in doing something that was bad enough for a near-apprentice age kit, let alone a small under-grown kit, or Lichenkit being nasty to anyone she had an irrational hate of. It had taken Blueshine and Lilystep working together to distract the kits long enough for Brightpa to leave.

"Brightpaw!" Hawkclaw snapped. "Hurry up!" The black tom was scowling as the rest of the sunhigh patrol looked bored. Stoneclaw licked a paw and drew it over his ears absently.

"I'm coming," Brightpaw muttered, wishing Hawkclaw were more sympathetic towards her. At the same time, she knew he felt awkward being given an apprentice halfway through her apprenticeship. He didn't entirely know what or how to teach her. Once Brightpaw got over to the group, Hawkclaw led the patrol to the camp entrance. He started to exit, then stopped as Goldensky called from across the clearing.

"Wait a minute!" Hawkclaw froze and turned as Goldensky ran over to the sunhigh patrol. "Don't forget to look for catmint," Goldensky said, breathless. "Pebblefall is out looking at the patches we're familiar with in case any survived, but there might be a plant out there we haven't found yet. But I can't leave Mistystream and her kits. They're too sick."

Hawkclaw's eyes darkened. "Of course, Goldensky." Brightpaw remembered at that moment that Hawkclaw was Mistystreams father. It wasn't easy to see the resembelence between them, but it made sense that he would be upset over her being sick.

"Good. Good." Goldensky crouched there for a moment, panting, then trotted back to the medicine cat den.

Hawkclaw stood there for a moment, staring after Goldensky, then glanced at the others. "Well? Let's get going! The borders won't patrol themselves." Brightpaw decided not to point out that Hawkclaw had been keeping them waiting.

* * *

Despite combing what felt like the entire territory, they found no catmint. Any catmint found was just the stalks, or leaves blackened and frost-scorched. Nothing useful to be found there. Brightpaw tried to avoid Hawkclaw after he thought he found a huge clump of catmint, only to find it was all ruined by the winter ice. After that, he snapped at everyone.

Returning back to camp, Brightpaw was tackled by Tumblekit and Lichenkit. "Where were you?!" Nettlekit wailed, racing up behind her siblings. "Blueshine wouldn't let us look for you!"

Brightpaw sighed and pushed her kits away, wishing they could be sweet and clingy when she wasn't too exhausted to deal with them. "I was out patroling, you three. You know that."

"None of the other queens go patrolling!" Lichenkit pointed her, her expression angry, "Why do you have to leave us all the time?"

"Because I'm still an apprentice, sweetie," Brightpaw tried to stay calm. Lichenkit made some good points, but right now Brightpaw wanted to go to sleep. "I have training to do."

"Then why are you a mother?!" Nettlekit demanded.

"Oh, look at the time! Go find something to eat and I'll be right in, alright?"

"But-"

"Go!" Brightpaw watched her kits walk over to the freshkill pile, looking sullen. Brightpaw sighed. Eventually she would have to answer that question. But today was not that day.

* * *

**To make up for my lateness, I promise I'll have another chapter up this Friday, okay? Feel free to shout at me if I screw up.**

**Anyway, happy vacation!**

**~Topaz**


	18. NOT AN ACTUAL UPDATE GUYS!

**Dear readers,**

**I am so, so, SO sorry readers! I didn't take my ADHD meds today, and my grandma (whom I despise) has only just left after staying almost the entire vacation, so I was trying to make up for lost time and forgot all about the new chapter. While I try to make up for lost time, review/message and tell me what YOU want to see next! I have some ideas about what I'm going to write next, and my timeline for this is actually winding up pretty quickly. The next few chapters will be pretty plot-packed.**

**Anyway, here are some options for what I'll be working on next. What do you want me to work on?**

**A) Mothwing's Duties**

_**This is a story idea I had that is extremely AU, ignoring the most recent series and all the novellas/super editions that take place after OOTS, though it does take them into consideration as to what's going on with the clans. Essentially, Mothwing now believes in StarClan after, you know, the war with the dark forest?! Now that she believes, she's able to fulfil the main reason that she was led to become a medicine cat. The medicine cat code needs to change, and it's her responsibility, or duty? Eh? Eh? Now that she believes in StarClan, Mothflight (the first medicine cat) is able to reach her and guide her on her path.**_

**B) The sequel to Breaking Bright**

_**Well, it's the sequel. Not much more you need to know. Well, I'm sure you would like to know more, but any more info would spoil THIS story.**_

**C) Humans turn to cats?**

_**It's a total crack-fic. A large group of humans turn into cats and form a clan/join up with the clans. Have fun with that!**_

* * *

**Whatever you want, I will take into consideration...but in the end, I will obviously make the decision myself. I'm just curious what you would like, and it might influence my choice more than you'd think!**

**Anyway, sorry for not updating like I said I would! Have a good rest of 2016!**

**~Topaz**


	19. Chapter 17

**As far as I'm concerned, the new year never happened. I refuse to admit that we are less than twenty days to the USA getting-I refuse to say his name-as a new president. **

**So we've got two review systems today, first the regular reviews for the story, and then the others...**

**Featherfrost of Stormclan wrote: "Err...*scratches back of head* I didn't mean it like that... I sorta wanted to have Eelspots get revenge on her for like telling on him by hitting a soft spot in Brightpaw/whatever her warrior name will be by doing something to her mothers. Maybe like kidnapping like 1 of her kits or ALL of her parents(Troutface). But still I want something exciting to happen. Oh and 1 more thing... EELSPOTS I'M STILL COMING FOR YOU*Silver and white haired neko with wings is seen using a even BIGGER air-filled hammer chasing a male neko with dark brown hair with light brown and grey patches(I know that's a run-on sentence ))"**

**My reply: "I see what you mean, I just think that it's a little out of the blue. Also, Troutface isn't considered her father. It's...it's really complicated, I guess. And who cares if it's a run-on sentence, Eelspots deserves everything the readers want to come to him. Unless it's pie. That fucker doesn't deserve pie."**

**ImSpiderman wrote: "Poor Brightpaw, I hope thins get better for her soon. But at least Eelspots is out of her fur (for now) and mostly everything is peaceful."**

**reply: "I hope that too! But peaceful...pfft. I know as the author I know more about what's going on, but no. It's not peaceful in the slightest."**

**Next, in my apology from last week, I said I was considering three different stories to be taking on after Breaking Bright ends. I called on you all to see your opinions, and you answered! I'll be keeping track of this at the beginning of each chapter until the end, and we'll see which wins! Not that it matters, since I'll pick which I like the best, but your input is interesting and believe me, does make a difference since I am a pathetic human who loves recognition that others like her "contributions" to mankind.**

**Currently, the polls are in at...**

**Mothwing's duties: 1**

**Sequel to Breaking Bright: 2**

**Humans to cats: 0**

**So it seems most of the readers would like to see more of Brightpaw's journey! Not that I'm promising to put it in Brightpaw's POV. I mean, it could be in her children's POV. Or Pricklekit. Seriously, right now he might be my favorite cat in RiverClan.**

**~Topaz**

* * *

"Let all cats old enough to swim gather around the Wet Rock!" Brightpaw perked up at the noise, then glanced down at her kits and sighed in relief. They had worn themselves out playing in the elder's den. At least some cats were getting use out of the den. It had only been a quarter moon since Goldensky and Pebblefall had discovered the catmint had all been stolen, but in that time all the elders had gotten sick along with Snowbelly and Specklekit. Volefur and Smokekit had passed away despite the medicine cats best attempts to save them without catmint. Brightpaw remembered what Mistystream had done when Smokekit died.

_"It's your fault!" Mistystream had shrieked at Brightpaw when she had tried to go share tongues with Smokekit for the last time. "Everyone knows apprentices shouldn't have kits! But you had to break the rules you-you slut!" Mistystream's fur was on end, and the queen was clearly hysterical with grief. None of this made Brightpaw feel any better about Mistystreams screaming._

_"Brightpaw? Why did she call you a slut?" Brightpaw turned her eyes from Mistystream and looked down to see Tumblekit looking confused. "What's a-" Before Tumblekit could finish, Mistystream turned on Tumblekit and lashed out. Tumblekit stumbled back, his ear starting to bleed, then looked at Brightpaw, clearly shocked from the pain._

Brightpaw glanced at Tumblekit to make sure his cobwebs were still on. It still made her angry when she saw how Mistystream had hurt Tumblekit, but Brightpaw doubted Featherstar would be happy if Brightpaw attacked Mistystream again. Plus, it wasn't like Mistystream hadn't suffered. Not only had her son died, but shortly after that, Silverkit had died too. For some reason, Pricklekit kept apologizing to Mistystream, saying it was his fault, not Brightpaw's. Now Brightpaw felt bad about ignoring him so much just because he was Eelspots' son. She'd been trying to spend more time with him.

Brightpaw decided that her kits would probably be okay for a while, so she left the nursery to join the meeting. Brightpaw walked over and sat next to Otterpaw and Darkstorm. Otterpaw was whispering to Darkstorm about something, but she stopped to say hello to Brightpaw before returning to the quiet conversation.

"As you are no doubt aware, we have no catmint to treat greencough and have no way of getting more. Goldensky and I have been conferring, and we have decided that the best course of action is to get catmint from the twoleg nest at the edge of our territory. Now, because of the danger posed, I am sending a small patrol to go along with Goldensky to help collect the catmint and protect it. Because of the nature of this patrol, no cat will be forced to go on the patrol. This will be volunteer only. If you are willing to participate, let Sandstripe know."

No cat spoke. Brightpaw glanced around and saw a few cats scowling. Apparently they didn't like the idea of going and risking their lives. Brightpaw remembered vaguely a story about what happened to Goldenskys mentor that happened near or at the twoleg nest that ended up with her dead. All she remembered very clearly was that everyone thought it was Goldenskys fault. That must be what the others were thinking of when they said nothing.

"I'll go!" Dawnpaw stood up. Brightpaw noticed her sister was ignoring Yellowstorms attempts to tug Dawnpaw back down. When he apparently realized she was going, he stood up as well.

"I'll go too."

"Excellent." Featherstar seemed immensely relieved by some cats standing up. "The patrol needs a few more cats, so if anyone else is interested, please let Sandstripe know. The patrol will be leaving after the sunhigh patrol. Meeting dismissed."

Brightpaw watched the others disperse around her. Stoneclaw and Troutface left camp with their apprentices, and a few cats walked over to talk to Sandstripe. Brightpaw sighed. If she weren't stuck in the nursery, she would volunteer in a second. However, in the moon since she had become a mother, she had learned that many things were not supposed to be done by nursing queens.

Once on patrol, a brief fight had broken out between a warrior on her patrol and a warrior from ShadowClan because Mudfoot thought he saw Nightpelt step over the border to catch something. Whether or not Nightpelt had trespassed, Hawkclaw had refused to let Brightpaw participate in the fight. Instead, he'd sent her back to camp to call for back-up. In the end, the reinforcements weren't needed, as shortly after Brightpaw left, Hawkclaw had broken the fight up before either group was hurt much. Hawkclaw had just sent Brightpaw away so she didn't participate in the fight.

Brightpaw sat in the clearing a little longer and watched the herb-gathering patrol slowly collect. Along with Dawnpaw and Yellowstorm, Shellwhisker and Mossflower had joined the patrol. That made Brightpaw feel better. Her sister would be fine with both a mentor looking after her and Yellowstorm, who was obviously in love with Dawnpaw.

"I'm hungry!" Tumblekit shouted from inside the nursery.

"Rest time's over," Blueshine purred as she left the nursery with stale moss. Brightpaw went to get something to eat and entered the nursery.

* * *

"Beechkit, stop making a mess of Ripplefoots nest and come out, it's nap time!" Brightpaw stood outside the elder's den and tapped her foot impatiently. After eating and grooming all five kits, she had let them join Blueshine and Lilystep's kits in the elders den to play, but now she wanted to rest in her warm nest, not sit in the entrance of the elder's den to keep them from exploring the rest of camp without permission.

"Aw, but she's not using it now, anyway! By the time she comes back in here she'll have a brand new nest!" Beechkit continued to shred the edges of the pile of bracken and moss.

"Stop that now!" Brightpaw snapped at him, losing her patience. "You're clearly tired-"

"Someone help us here!" Brightpaw stopped trying to convince her kits to leave the elders den and turned to face the camp entrance. What she saw made her immediately turn to completely block the entrance to the elders den. Beetlekit had been about to leave, and he ran into her.

"Hey!" he said, his voice shrill with anger. "I have to make dirt, move out of the way!"

"You'll have to wait, then," Brightpaw said briskly, not letting him past. Blueshine probably wouldn't want her kits to see what was going on. Brightpaw watched out of the corner of her eye as Mossflower limped into camp, being supported by Troutface on one side. Behind her, Stoneclaw and Rainears carried Dawnpaw in with Yellowstorm trotting at her side. Goldensky raced ahead to the medicine cat's den, calling to Pebblefall to get certain herbs.

Brightpaw could barely stand to look at Dawnpaw. Her sister's flank and belly were torn open, from the beginning of her chest to between her hind legs, and her throat had a ring of teeth marks, like a big creature had grabbed her and shaken her fiercely. Despite the huge open wounds, Dawnpaw's jaw was wide open as she held on to a huge bundle of catmint.

]That, more then anything, horrified Brightpaw. Despite the huge amount of pain that Dawnpaw was clearly in, judged by both the size and severity of the wounds, and the way Dawnpaw's eyes had glazed over with pain, she was keeping a firm grasp on the herbs.

Brightpaw watched as Dawnpaw was carried into the medicine cat's den, ignoring the kit's cries to be let out. She waited with baited breath, hoping against hope that any minute someone would leave the den and announce that Dawnpaw was fine, there would just be some minor scarring.

"Brightpaw?" Brightpaw looked up as Lilystep approached, her expression sympathetic. Before Lilystep even spoke, Brightpaw didn't want to hear it. "You'd better go see Dawnpaw. I'll watch the kits."

Brightpaw walked over to the medicine cat's den, meeting Otterpaw and Scorchpaw outside it. They glanced at her, their expressions just as scared as hers must be. They all knew by now that family was only called into the medicine cat's den when the patient was dying.

"Good, you're all out here." Goldensky looked out to see them standing there. He looked exhausted, and his paws were blood-stained. That wasn't a good sign. "Come in."

Brightpaw walked into the den and blinked in the sudden darkness. Once her eyes were used to the darkness, she saw Dawnpaw in a nest near the end. Yellowstorm sat next Dawnpaw, his ears flat. Brightpaw approached Dawnpaw, unsure of what to say.

"Brightpaw?" Dawnpaw whispered suddenly. "Is that you?"

Brightpaw swallowed. "Yes Dawnpaw. It's me."

Dawnpaw purred, then broke off and started hacking. When she spoke again, her voice was even more hoarse. "I'm sorry I was such a jerk to you...it wasn't fair."

"It's okay, Dawnpaw," Brightpaw replied quickly, "I'm not mad anymore, I swear."

Scorchpaw stepped up next to Brightpaw, looking terrified. "Hi Dawnpaw."

Dawnpaw glanced up at Scorchpaw. "Hi Scorchpaw. Sorry we won't have vigil together."

"Don't say that!" Scorchpaw protested, his fur standing up. "Y-you're gonna be fine, right?"

Dawnpaw rolled her eyes. "Please, Scorchpaw..." She broke off and started coughing, then resumed speaking. "We both know...I won't be fine. We won't be sharing a ceremony. Sorry."

"You'll have a ceremony of your own." Brightpaw glanced back, then backed up as Featherstar stepped closer to Dawnpaw. "I'm so sorry that this happened, Dawnpaw. You deserve a warrior name as much as anyone."

"I guess it wasn't meant to be..." Dawnpaw rasped.

Featherstar shook her head and bent to nose Dawnpaw softly. "You will have your warrior name, little one." Featherstar straightened, and raised her voice. "I ask my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has learned the warrior code and given up her life in the service of her Clan." Brightpaw exchanged glances with Otterpaw, then stood straighter. "Let StarClan receive her as a warrior. She will be known as Dawnflight." Featherstar took a step back.

Dawnflight looked smaller than ever. She stared into the air, her eyes bright as she stared at something none of them can see. Suddenly, she spoke. "Sorry...Yellowstorm..." Dawnflight was wracked with a fit of coughing and wheezing, but after a few tense minutes, she lay there, still.

"I'm so sorry," Goldensky murmured. Pebblefall reached over to close Dawnpaw's eyes.

* * *

**What do you think? Was it too cheesy, or just cheesy and sad enough? Let me know in the reviews!**

**~Topaz**


	20. Chapter 18

**HELLO PEEPS!**

**Let's cut this short. Reviews.**

**Crazywarriorsfan wrote: "****Thx for posting more. Also, Eelspots seems to still be alive after I attacked him, so...GGAAAAHAHHHHH DIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIE!*a silver and white shecat, now known as Silverfur, attacks Eelspots once again*"**

**Reply: "I don't know why he doesn't die the first time. Bad Eelspots!"**

**abuseImSpiderman wrote: "****I'm glad that you feel horrid about that wall building, racist, mutated cheeto too. I can't stand him at all.**

**Anyways, I kinda feel bad for both of them. Although a certain someone didn't have to go so far, it's sad. You were right about the whole not peaceful thing. I just hope that things get better soon. **

**Welp, time to go back to what I do best. Eliminating pests called Eelspots. At least Dawnpool is kind to Brightbaby."**

**Reply: "No, don't insult cheetos. I like them! Plus, Jasper (SU) is called a cheeto, so now I'm torn...but yes, fellow wall-building haters unite!**

**I don't feel bad for Eelspots. At all. I created him. I feel sorry for myself for creating him. And yes, Dawnpool is kind. She's awesome that way."**

** abuseBooksRCoolYeah wrote: "****Who's who's mate? Did Troutface mate with Sandstripe so Frostheart and Sandstripe could have kits?"**

**Reply: "Yes, exactly. Biologically, Troutface is Sandstripe's father, but it rarely gets brought up. The only reason I mention it is for family tree purposes."**

**~Topaz**

* * *

Brightpaw didn't know what was worse. Her sister dying in the process of bringing back catmint, or the fact that it didn't help that much. Ripplefoot, Volefur, Splashkit, and Mistystream had died of greencough, having progressed too far. It almost felt like a waste.

"Brightpaw, can you go with Pricklekit into the medicine cat's den?" Brightpaw paused in grooming Nettlekit when Dawnpool spoke. Pricklekit hopped impatiently by the nursery entrance. "Specklekit wants to see him and Goldensky said it'll be alright for a bit, but Lilystep went out for a walk with Rainears and I need to watch Greykit."

"Alright, sure. Nettlekit, stay here, okay?" Nettlekit scowled but didn't argue. Brightpaw stood up and followed Pricklekit out of the nursery and over to the medicine cats den. Pricklekit and Specklekit had both fallen sick a day or two before Dawnflight brought the catmint, but while Pricklekit recovered quickly, Specklekit wasn't responding quite well to catmint.

"Pebblefall, we can't use all the catmint at once, we still have over a moon before new leaf even starts to arrive, who knows who else will get sick?" Brightpaw entered the den behind Pricklekit to see Goldensky arguing with Pebblefall. Both of them had fallen sick a few days ago, but apparently they were both refusing to take medicine.

"Oh, hello Brightpaw. Are you and Pricklekit here to visit Specklekit?" Goldensky broke off the conversation when he saw them come in. "Now might not be a good time."

"Is Specklekit okay?" Pricklekit asked, looking panicked. "I thought once you got catmint Specklekit would be okay!"

"I don't know what to tell you," Goldensky said to Pricklekit, looking solemn, "Sometimes cats just don't respond to catmint. Specklekit will get better, or he won't. It's in StarClan's paws."

"It's my fault!" Pricklekit cried. Brightpaw reached over to Pricklekit with her tail, trying to calm him, but Pricklekit jerked away and ran over to Specklekit's nest. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I thought I was supposed to!"

Brightpaw exchanged glances with Goldensky, then walked over to Pricklekit's side. "Supposed to do what?" she asked softly.

Pricklekit looked down, slumped. "I didn't mean to take all the catmint." Brightpaw opened her mouth, about to demand what Pricklekit meant, then stopped and waited for Pricklekit to continue. "Pebblefall told me catmint cures greencough, and-" Pricklekit cut himself off. "Never mind, he told me not to tell anyone."

"Who told you?" Brightpaw asked. "I won't tell anyone, I promise. Were you meeting someone who got greencough?" Pricklekit nodded, not saying anything. "Who were you meeting?"

"Eelspots," Pricklekit whispered. "I was meeting my dad. He got greencough and I..." Pricklekit kept talking, but Brightpaw barely heard it. Eelspots was still in the territory? She began to shake. Pricklekit stopped talking and looked at Brightpaw, terrified. "I'm sorry, I didn't know!"

"I-it's okay, Pricklekit," Brightpaw stammered, not wanting Pricklekit to think it was all his fault. He didn't know that what he was doing was wrong. Nobody had told Pricklekit what Eelspots had done. Pricklekit probably thought that his father was exiled for no good reason.

"Is that true, Pricklekit? You took all the catmint?" Brightpaw turned to see Pebblefall staring at Pricklekit in horror. Pricklekit didn't say anything. "Oh StarClan...I caused all these deaths..."

Goldensky reentered the medicine cat's den with a mouthful of moss in time to hear Pebblefall's last statement. Ignoring all of them, Goldensky walked over to examine Specklekit. "Brightpaw, Pricklekit, it's time for you to leave. Specklekit needs to rest now." Pricklekit started to whine, but Brightpaw guided him out.

* * *

Brightpaw trotted to catch up with the rest of the patrol before Hawkclaw scolded her. Not that it would have upset her that much. Today had been an assessment for Brightpaw and her littermates, and while Brightpaw was far from becoming a warrior, she was happy to know that her training with Hawkclaw had paid off. She was only a moon or two away from becoming a warrior at this rate. Even with the now two warriors who were always with her when she was training, ever since Featherstar had found out that Eelspots wasn't far from RiverClan territory.

Despite winter coming to a vengeful end, Brightpaw had been able to catch two fish and a few water voles that had come out to find their winter stores. She'd also found their winter store, which included some herbs that Hawkclaw was carrying back for Goldensky. Maybe the arrival of new herbs would make Goldensky feel a bit better. A few days after Pebblefall and Brightpaw had learned that Pricklekit was to blame for the catmint going missing, Pebblefall had died of greencough.

It was suspected that Pebblefall had pretended to take catmint and then spit it out and refused to take care of himself, as punishment for helping Pricklekit steal the catmint, however unintentionally. Lilystep and Dawnpool were no longer speaking to Goldensky.

"Brightpaw, Brightpaw! Lilystep let me go in the clearing and I saw a beetle and I jumped on it and I caught it! See?"

Brightpaw glanced over to see Tumblekit jumping up and down with a beetle in his mouth, looking very proud of himself. Brightpaw purred. "Good job, Tumblekit."

Hawkclaw purred. "Brightpaw, I'm afraid your son has out-hunted you. Perhaps he'd better become an apprentice now."

"No!" Brightpaw gasped, immediately stepping between Hawkclaw and Tumblekit and preparing to grab Tumblekit.

Hawkclaw sighed. "For StarClan's sake...I was just kidding around, Brightpaw."

"Oh." Brightpaw slumped, feeling embarrassed. She decided to go bring the fish to the elders to avoid the conversation any more.

A few minutes later, Featherstar left the leader's den and walked over to the Wet Rock. "Let all cats old enough to swim gather around the Wet Rock!" Brightpaw walked over to the rock, Tumblekit following her.

"Sandstripe, I can groom myself!" Scorchpaw was flinching away as Sandstripe briskly licked his fur smooth. She continued to do so, ignoring his complaints. "Oh, come on!"

"It's not every day I get to see my son become a warrior!" Sandstripe retorted, "Now hold still."

Brightpaw glanced down to see that her kits had gathered around her, sitting as still as they could. "You can stay here only if you're quiet and stay still, she warned them sternly.

"We'll be quiet!" Beechkit promised. Lichenkit slumped a little, then nodded reluctantly.

"Good." Brightpaw turned to face Featherstar.

"Scorchpaw and Otterpaw," Featherstar called. Brightpaw watched as her siblings walked up to Featherstar. Otterpaw looked cool and collected, her fur sleek and shining from a thorough grooming, while Scorchpaw was visibly excited, his fur starting to puff up. Featherstar looked down at them, her expression unreadable. "I, Featherstar, leader of RiverClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn. Scorchpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?

Scorchpaw took a deep breath. "I do."

Brightpaw could swear Featherstar seemed to smile a bit as she continued. "Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Scorchpaw, from this moment you will be known as Scorchtail. StarClan honors your courage and patience, and we welcome you as a full warrior of RiverClan." Featherstar paused for a moment, then turned to Otterpaw. "Cinderfrost, do you believe that Otterpaw is ready to become a warrior?"

"I do. Otterpaw is an intelligent young cat who will make a good warrior."

"Wonderful," Featherstar said. "I, Featherstar, leader of RiverClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn. Otterpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Otterpaw hesitated for what felt like ages before she spoke. "I do."

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Otterpaw, from this moment you will be known as Otternose. StarClan honors your intelligence and honesty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of RiverClan."

* * *

**Apologies for being so late, I've been busy...eh, whatever, I just don't care about time anymore. I just try to update when I can. On Monday.**

**~Topaz**


	21. Chapter 19

**It's time for another chapter! But first, reviews!**

**ImSpiderman wrote: "Yay! Warrior names! But boooooo greencough/whitecough! What's this? My Eelspot senses are tingling. Get him! *Cue dozens of angry fans to pour down and maul Eelspots* But seriously, this dude needs to get a life. No mercy for him. I feel bad for Pricklekit too; still thinking that Eelspots is a good cat."**

**Reply: "Getting a life works. Of course, just killing him works too. . Pricklekit may be my favorite right now. *snuggles Pricklekit close."**

**~Topaz**

* * *

"Brightpaw, it's time for a patrol!" Brightpaw opened her eyes and quickly glanced over her kits. Thankfully, they all stayed fast asleep. Maybe it was a good thing to let them play outside more. They had more of an appetite, were doubling and tripling in size, and were more deeply asleep. _Which was good, because apparently some cats didn't understand that kits wake up easily._

Brightpaw hopped out of her nest and gave her fur a few licks to smooth it out, before exiting the nursery and glaring at her brother. "Scorchtail!" she hissed, "Haven't you been near enough kits to know not to shout around them?"

To his credit, Scorchtail looked suitably shamed by Brightpaw. "Sorry," he mumbled. "I just figured you'd want to get a break from the nursery, so I asked Sandstripe if we could go on border patrol together."

Brightpaw sighed. "I guess. But next time, be quieter, okay? Dawnpool's kits are becoming apprentices soon, and they're going nuts being stuck in camp. Who else is on the patrol other than us and Hawkclaw?"

"Um...Nightpaw and Troutface." That was a relief. Scorchtail may have good intentions, but he was a new warrior and was a little over-eager. With Eelspots nearby, Brightpaw was made at ease to hear Hawkclaw and Troutface would be there. Both were good warriors, and Hawkclaw was not easily ruffled. Brightpaw had only ever seen Hawkclaw drop his pretty stoic persona around his mates and kits.

"Let me just let one of the queens know I'm leaving." Brightpaw leaned inside the nursery and glanced around until she saw Blueshine sleepily grooming Swallowkit. "Blueshine, if my kits wake up, can you let them know I'm out on patrol?"

Blueshine paused in grooming Swallowkit's fur to look up, her expression confused. "Wouldn't you rather wake them and tell them yourself?"

"Not really," Brightpaw mumbled.

Blueshine raised an eyebrow, but didn't argue the point further. "Alright then. Are there any rules they need to follow I should be aware of? Can they go outside?"

"Yes, as long as it is to the elder's den or the freshkill pile. Other then that, only as long as it's not freezing out. And if they're hungry, Lichenkit and Beechkit are allowed to have a whole piece to themselves. Nettlekit can have something to herself, but only if it's something small, and Shadekit and Tumblekit have to share something."

Blueshine shrugged. "If you say so. Have fun."

Brightpaw felt like Blueshine might disapprove of Brightpaw's instructions, but she tried to shake the thought off. If Blueshine had really thought what Brightpaw said was dumb, she'd have said something. Blueshine wasn't exactly meek. "Ready," she announced, exiting the nursery.

Scorchtail purred. "Cool. Come on, the others are waiting for us." Brightpaw followed Scorchtail over to the entrance. Hawkclaw nodded in greeting to Brightpaw as she came closer to the group. Nightpaw was talking to Troutface, who was quizzing her on fighting techniques of the other clans. When Brightpaw started listening to the questions, she heard Troutface asking Nightpaw how to fight ShadowClan cats. Brightpaw started trying to puzzle out the question, when she heard Hawkclaw speaking to her.

"What would you do if you found a loner on our territory?" When Brightpaw blinked at him, confused, he repeated the question, looking impatient.

"Um...well, first I would need to know if the loner looked under six moon, over sixty moons, or pregnant," Brightpaw meowed, shuffling her paws nervously.

Hawkclaw nodded encouragingly. "Correct. In this case, it is a warrior-age male, but what would you do in those other scenarios?" The patrol started heading out as Brightpaw thought about the question.

"If it's a kit, I talk to them and see if their mother is still alive. If their mother is alive, then I would look around the nearby area to see if she's around. If not, then I'd take the kit back to camp until we can find their mother. If the mother isn't found in the next moon, then we would take the kit to the gathering and they would join a clan. Hopefully they would end up joining RiverClan, but if they join another clan, that would work too. Of course, if the kit is able to take care of themself for the most part, then if they want, they can leave our territory to live as a loner. Um...I don't remember the age limit."

Brightpaw was relieved to see Hawkclaw nod. "Correct, up until four moons, unless the mother appears soon after we find their mother, it is the clans obligation to take in the kit. Because of a loner's dangerous lifestyle, kits are forced to learn how to take care of themselves earlier in life, so if the kit is four moons or older, it is their decision whether or not to join the clan. However, if they choose to remain a loner, they must leave the territory. What about pregnant cats?" While Brightpaw tried to remember the answer, Hawkclaw turned to talk to Troutface, who had just stopped to mark the border. Once they finished their brief conversation, the patrol moved on along the WindClan border, and Hawkclaw turned to hear her answer.

"If we find an expecting queen on our territory, we give her the same options as we would a warrior-age male, but if she chooses not to join and stays on our territory while pregnant, we are not allowed to use excessive force to get her off our territory, until her kits are born. At that point, we can attack her if necessary to make her leave, but we may not harm her kits and should help carry the kits out of our territory."

Hawkclaw nodded slowly. "Very good. Though we don't have to carry the kits out, it's better in order to get her to leave as soon as possible. And killing is not allowed. Why?"

"Because it's against the warrior code. In fact, we don't allow any cat who has killed to join our clans."

Hawkclaw purred. "Exactly right." Hawkclaw glanced at Troutface, then stopped. "One minute. Troutface, is something wrong?"

Troutface scowled, looking around and sniffing the ground. "I don't know. It smells like a group of rogues were here recently...and Eelspots."

Brightpaw froze. Further ahead, Scorchtail growled. "How recently was that snakeheart here? If I see him I'll tear..."

"Relax, Scorchtail," Hawkclaw meowed evenly. "He can't have been here that recently, his scent is faint."

"Oh." Scorchtail slumped a little, looking embarrassed.

Brightpaw was going to say something, but Nightpaw beat her to it. The younger apprentice came up next to Scorchtail and licked his cheek comfortingly."It's okay, Scorchtail. It makes me feel safe to know that you'd protect us if that snakeheart appeared." Scorchtail purred and rested his head on Nightpaw's for a moment. Then the patrol moved on.

* * *

Once the patrol returned, Troutface turned to Hawkclaw. "I'm going to go let Featherstar and Sandstripe know what we found on patrol. Nightpaw, go remake Blackwaters nest with fresh moss and bring him something to eat, then you can eat yourself." Troutface left, Scorchtail following him.

Brightpaw glanced at Hawkclaw. "What should I do now?"

Hawkclaw paused, thinking. "Once Nightpaw changes Blackwaters nest, go check him for ticks. I'll come with you later to collect fresh moss for Goldensky and the queens. Other then that, bring Goldensky something to eat and then you can go back to the nursery." Brightpaw nodded, then started to walk away. "Oh, and Brightpaw?" Brightpaw paused and turned to face Hawkclaw. "You've been training very hard since your kits were born, and I wanted you to know that you're doing very well. I know it must be hard to do both, but you've done well so far, and you're close to getting your warrior name." Brightpaw stared at him, startled. "Now go do your duties."

* * *

Brightpaw crept out of the nursery to make dirt late that night. She'd been busy all day either gathering moss, hunting, or just caring for her kits, so this was the only chance she had to go to the dirtplace. She just hoped she didn't wake anyone.

On her way back, she bumped into another cat. "Sorry," she meowed, backing up, only to see her mother standing there looking startled. "Oh, Sandstripe! I didn't see you there."

"It's alright," Sandstripe meowed. She looked almost guilty. What was she feeling guilty about, Brightpaw wondered. "How are you and your kits?"

"They're exhausting," Brightpaw responded immediately, then flattened her ears. "I'm sorry, I know I'm supposed to love them unconditionally and not complain I just-"

"It's alright, Brightpaw." Sandstripes gaze was understanding, if a little sad. "You're young, you never planned on having kits right now, and they can hold you back in some ways. But you've done very well, and they're beautiful. I'm sure they'll be a credit to you." Sandstripe paused, then added, "Also...I just wanted to say, Brightpaw, in case you didn't realize...I'm so sorry that this happened to you. I should have been a better mother. I should have been a better deputy."

"It's alright, Sandstripe," Brightpaw meowed, not wanting her mother to feel even worse. "I-I'm fine...really. It's not your fault."

"If I ever see that snakeheart, I don't care what the warrior code says, I'm sending him straight to the dark forest," Sandstripe growled quietly. Then she seemed to realize Brightpaw was still there. "Go back to sleep, Brightpaw. You have a busy day tomorrow, I'm sure."

"Oh...Okay. Good night." Brightpaw returned to the nursery and curled around her kits. After several minutes, she fell into an uneasy sleep. She couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was about to happen.

* * *

Brightpaw woke up just after the dawn patrol left by Nettlekit kneading her stomach with claws out. "Ow! Nettlekit, stop that!"

"There isn't enough milk!" Nettlekit whined. Beechkit and Tumblekit woke up and started whining as well.

Brightpaw rolled her eyes. "Why don't you and your brothers go to the freshkill pile and get something to eat? Don't forget to bring me something!" she called as they raced out, already quarreling about what they were going to take.

Brightpaw glanced over to see Dawnpool sigh in relief. "Featherstar said after the morning hunting patrol returns she'll hold my kit's apprentice ceremony, so I sent them out to get something to eat. I hope they don't use this as a chance to pull some sort of prank before they become apprentices."

"They won't, I'm sure," Brightpaw purred. "Pricklekit will keep Lizardkit and Adderkit in line, I'm sure."

"Right." Dawnpool sighed. "I wish Specklekit were here."

"I'm sure he's looking down on his siblings from StarClan," Brightpaw offered, not sure what else to say. Sometimes she herself wondered if her siblings looked down on her from StarClan. Were they ashamed of her? Brightpaw started to groom herself.

"In, in, get in the nursery now!" Brightpaw sat up, startled to hear Adderkit growling. A second later, all five of Brightpaw's kits raced in along with Lilystep and Blueshine's kits. Behind them came Dawnpool's kits, herding them in. Lizardkit looked terrified, while Pricklekit stood in front of the nursery entrance, coaxing Greykit in.

"What's going on you three?" Dawnpool asked sternly. "Is today really a good day for pranks? Why are you scaring the younger kits?"

Lizardkit raced over and leaned up to whisper in his mother's ear. Dawnpool's eyes widened, and she glanced at Brightpaw, then nodded at Lizardkit. "You did the right thing. Blueshine, Lilystep?" The other nursery queens glanced at the kits, then walked to Dawnpools side. After a hissed conversation Brightpaw couldn't hear no matter how she strained, Blueshine and Lilystep called their kits to come take a nap.

"You don't have to sleep, just stay still and be quiet!" Blueshine snapped when they started to complain. "Brightpaw, you might want to go see Goldensky. We'll watch your kits."

Immediately, Lichenkit and Shadekit started to pester Blueshine and Brightpaw with questions, but Brightpaw ignored them. Why did she need to see Goldensky? Her mind filled with a million worst case scenarios. She ran out of the nursery and towards the medicine cat's den, fear making her fur stand up.

"You can't go in right now." Mossflower stood outside the medicine cat's den, and her sympathetic look scared Brightpaw even more. "Goldensky said there's a chance of saving her, but he can't be distracted."

"Saving who?!" Brightpaw cried, trying not to whine. Who was in there, and how could they be so hurt that Goldensky couldn't have anyone in there?

"You didn't know?" Mossflower looked even sadder. "It's your mother. Sandstripe. Apparently she went out late last night to find Eelspots."

Before Brightpaw could start pestering Mossflower with questions, Frostheart peeked out of the medicine cat's den, her eyes dull. "Goldensky did his best, but it was too late...Sandstripe's with StarClan now."

* * *

"How could Sandstripe be dead while that snakeheart is still out there?" Scorchtail growled at Featherstar. Featherstar stared coolly back at him, not saying anything. After Sandstripe had been brought out into the clearing to hold vigil, Scorchtail had stomped into Featherstar's den and demanded a meeting. Now Brightpaw, Otternose, and Frostheart sat there, and Brightpaw wished Scorchtail would stop shouting.

Finally, Scorchtail sat back down and looked expectantly at Featherstar. Featherstar blinked, then rose. "Are you quite done?" she asked coldly. Scorchtail shrank back, and Featherstar started pacing. "I understand your pain. Sandstripe was a brave and noble warrior, and a great deputy. I had every expectation that she would be the next leader of RiverClan. That she died prematurely is a terrible blow both to her family and the clan as a whole. However, there was some information we gained from this which is important, and I may as well tell you. First of all, Eelspots is not perfectly fine. There was blood from both of them at the site of the fight, according to the dawn patrol who discovered her. Second, we have reason to believe that Eelspots was not acting alone. Any more then that, I can't tell you at this time, but be aware that we will be actively searching for Eelspots from now on. He clearly is not interested in a peaceful life." Otternose scoffed. "Now you may leave and go sit vigil for your mother." It was a clear dismissal.

* * *

**I know it's short. I wrote most of this in the morning, but then I had to go out and had no wifi for most of the day, so here it comes to you...late...with a sticky m key.**

**~Topaz**


	22. Chapter 20

**I am so exhausted, yet so satistfied. We are at moon 89 of my timeline, which sounds weird until you consider that my timeline goes back quite a long way, just so I know how old everyone is, I guess? I'm weird. And not only that, but my timeline is currently up to 131 moons. I have plans. Not that they'll happen in THIS book...**

**Moving on. Here's a pop quiz. Can anyone find a litter in ThunderClan, ShadowClan, or WindClan, that has parents in a forbidden relationship?**

* * *

Brightpaw trailed behind the rest of the dawn patrol. She knew she shouldn't, and it made her anxious, but she was tired. It had been a long night with her kits waking up every several minutes to harass her. Then the patrol had taken twice as long as usual. Dawnpools kits had finally become apprentices, and it was their second day, so Snowbelly and Darkstorm had been explaining the purpose of border patrols to Adderpaw and Lizardpaw. Brightpaw was just not in the mood to deal with this.

When they returned to camp, Pricklepaw was racing across camp with his mouth full of wet moss. Adderpaw sighed. "I wish he'd stop pretending he wants to be a medicine cat."

"Your brother needs to work through his feelings in his own time," Snowbelly rumbled. "He'll begin training as a warrior when he's ready." Adderpaw grumbled but didn't say anything else. "Go bring the elders something to eat, then eat yourself. We'll be having battle training later." Adderpaw stared up at Snowbelly, looking both petrified and excited, then raced off.

Brightpaw watched her go, then glanced at Hawkclaw. He sighed. "You can go care for your kits. We'll be joining Snowbelly and Adderpaw for training later, so be ready."

Walking into the nursery with two water voles and a sparrow, all leaf-bare thin, Brightpaw was ambushed by three kits leaping at her. "You're back, you're back!" Beechkit cried excitedly.

"Is that for us?" Swallowkit demanded, trying to reach up and grab one of the voles.

"I missed you!" Shadekit cried, "Why do you have to go away so much, Brightpaw? Blueshine is mean and she makes me take naps when I'm not tired!"

Brightpaw shoved gently past the kits and placed the two voles in front of Lilystep and Blueshine. Then she sat down at her own nest with the sparrow. Swallowkit went to go harass his mother for some of the vole, but Brightpaw's own kits came to look at what she was eating. "What's that?" Tumblekit asked, leaning in to smell the bird. He wrinkled his nose. "It smells weird."

"It's a sparrow," Brightpaw meowed, trying to sound patient. "Troutface caught it."

"Why?" Lichenkit demanded. "It smells yucky." Brightpaw didn't entirely understand why herself. They'd been on patrol and gotten close to a tree that was getting some early leaf buds, and the sparrow had dived in and started trying to peck them.

At first they'd just ignored the bird, as it was easy to avoid, but then the bird managed to peck Lizardpaw, and Troutface had seemed to decide enough was enough, killing the bird swiftly the next time it dove down for an attack. Brightpaw had no idea why the bird had decided to go after them, but there was no point to wasting prey during leaf bare, even if it was a bird, so Troutface had carried it back and Brightpaw was eating it to spare anyone else having to taste bird.

Of course, she'd made that decision forgetting that her kits would want some of whatever she was eating, regardless of whatever they were eating. "I want some!" Lichenkit immediately and predictably demanded.

Brightpaw sighed. "Alright, just wait for me to pull the feathers out first, okay?" Lichenkit waited impatiently as Brightpaw plucked feathers out of the bird and placed them to the side. Once part of the sparrow was bare of feathers, Brightpaw tore off that part. "Don't forget to offer your sisters some," Brightpaw reminded Lichenkit. Brightpaw knew if she didn't, it would all disappear without Nettlekit and Shadekit ever seeing a single bite.

Once she finished choking down her share of the sparrow, Brightpaw split the feathers between the other nursery queens, Frostheart, and her own nest, then started weaving the feathers into her nest. By the time all the feathers were woven in, Lichenkit had tried the sparrow, found it disgusting, shoved it on her sisters, then gone and stolen some of Tumblekit and Beechkit's shrew.

* * *

**Bit of a filler chapter, but I'm tired and nothing is going right today. More importantly, there was a cute girl visiting to potentially attend my school last week, and according to a couple of people, she was here today/is coming to attend as a student, so I've been getting distracted thinking about what I'll wear tomorrow and how I'll rectify my first impression. GAHHH.**

**~Topaz**


	23. Chapter 21

**I'M ALLIIVVEE!**

**I'm so sorry, readers! If you're still around, then you're probably surprised to see an update. Anyway, the point is, I'm dumb and have screwed up two weeks in a row. So as a reward I will be writing and posting nonstop today.**

**On a side note, please go vote on my poll! It's about a fifty-review special I'll be writing.**

**On to reviews!**

**ImSpiderman wrote: "*looks at sparrow with suspision***

**Anywho, even though this was a filler chapter, it was satisfying (if not short :'( ) Also, good luck on your first impression! Hope it goes well."**

**Reply: "Don't worry, the sparrow was a minor thing, it's not plot related. Spoiler since it isn't gonna come up again, the bird was attacking them because they were getting close to it's nest. Spring is coming soon, so this sparrow got a headstart on nest building and starting a family, and was feeling threatened by the cat's presence (rightfully so). I considered having one cat climb up the tree and collect the eggs to eat, but realized they A) wouldn't climb the tree, and B) wouldn't eat eggs.**

**As for first impressions...sigh. She joined the group of high school/middle school girls at my school who are obnoxious and I don't really like them. Is it so hard to meet a cute girl who shares some of my interests, is willing to take some constructive criticism, and most importantly is openly queer? Hell, I'll even take closeted queer. I WILL SHOW HER THE RAINBOW WORLD.****"**

**BerryStumpyTail wrote: "Wait, are you a girl or a boy? Also, EELSPOTS IS A JERK FOR KILLING SANDSTRIPE! *Yells/asks Brightpaw for comfort*"**

**Reply: "I am a girl, though in the interest of TMI, I am a cis female whose gender identity is female and gender expression goes across the spectrum from extremely masculine to somewhat feminine. I'm bisexual. MOVING ON.**

**Brightpaw: *pat's BerryStumpyTails head awkwardly* Um. There, there?**

**Me: Yeah, he's a jerk ass. Side note, I adore your user name. It makes me laugh every time I see it."**

**Guest who I will now address as Rowangenderbender wrote: "*casually pushes Eelspots off a cliff with all his buddies* So, onto the review? First of all, how could Eelspots do this!? Killing Sandstripe! Sandstripe was a kool kat. I hope that they find and eliminate Eelspots as fast as possible."**

**Reply: "Perfect way to kill him! Well, no, not unless it's a short cliff with spikes at the the bottom. You know, a slow spike death. I love those kinds of deaths. Featherstar definitely is prioritizing killing Eelspots. Sandstripe was her longest running deputy."**

**Guest who I will now address as Silverstreambaby wrote: "This is great!"**

**Reply: "Awesome! Glad to hear you like it!"**

**A late disclaimer, but better late than never?**

**Dawnpool, Adderpaw, care to do the disclaimer?**

**Adderpaw: Why am I wearing a tutu? I can't fight in a tutu?! *rips apart tutu***

**Me: Just do the StarClans-damned disclaimer. -_-**

**Adderpaw: Topaz doesn't own StarClan, Warrior Cats, RiverClan, etcetera. They are the property of Erin Hunter(s). She DOES own all her cats except for Nettlekit, who belongs to Pandean (credited as Nettlekit's creator), and sort of me I guess since I developed her further. She also owns the plot.**

**Me: Perfect job! You get to live.**

**Adderpaw: WHAT?**

**Me: I mean...um...****Read on and enjoy!**

**Adderpaw: Better.**

**~Topaz**

* * *

Brightpaw did not look forward to training that afternoon. Adderpaw may be a new apprentice, but she made up for lack of experience with plenty of eagerness when it came to fighting. A little too much eagerness, in fact. Brightpaw had already heard Adderpaw get scolded more than once for forgetting to sheath her claws when in practice, and it was only a few days into her training.

Arriving at the training area, Brightpaw found Hawkclaw and Snowbelly sitting with Darkstorm and Troutface. Adderpaw and Nightpaw were in the middle of a practice duel. "What's going on?" she asked Hawkclaw, sitting down next to Lizardpaw.

Snowbelly never took his eyes off the match, but he spoke. "We're practicing partner and group fighting. Pay attention to what they're doing."

Brightpaw shrugged, then watched Adderpaw and Nightpaw fighting. Nightpaw was wrestling Adderpaw to the ground, and to be honest it looked like she was going to win pretty quickly. Then Adderpaw lashed out suddenly, and Nightpaw sprang back with a pained yowl. "She clawed me!" Nightpaw hissed, glaring at Adderpaw, who shrank back nervously.

"I didn't mean it!" Adderpaw whimpered. Brightpaw glanced at Snowbelly, who just sighed.

"You said that last time, Adderpaw. If you continue this, you won't be attending the gathering tonight." Adderpaw's eyes widened. "Claws should only be out during a real fight." Adderpaw started grumbling, but didn't argue.. "Alright, so other then the end, what mistakes did either of them do that you could take advantage of to win the fight?"

Lizardpaw bounced up and down excitedly. "I know! When Nightpaw was pinning Adderpaw down, Adderpaw would have been able to wriggle out from under her, or if it were a real fight, she could have clawed Nightpaw's belly."

"Both very true," Darkstorm said approvingly, "Though let's avoid the claws. What could Nightpaw do if that happened?"

"She could have bitten Adderpaw's tail and yanked her off balance," Brightpaw offered. "That would have given her an opportunity to scratch Adderpaw's ears, which are sensitive, and would distract long enough to further attack, if not chase her off entirely."

"Exactly." Hawkclaw purred. "You've learned well. Now let's see if you can apply that in a practice fight. You versus Lizardpaw."

Lizardpaw gave Darkstorm a skeptical look, but stood and faced Brightpaw. "I don't really know that much about fighting..." he mumbled.

Darkstorm licked Lizardpaw's head encouragingly. "It'll be fine, Lizardpaw, we all know you're new. Just do your best."

Hawkclaw waited a minute to make sure both apprentices were ready, then spoke. "Begin."

Brightpaw didn't expect Lizardpaw to make the first move so quickly, so she was caught off guard when he lunged at her. He clearly didn't actually know what he was doing, so he was relying solely on luck and catching her off guard. Unfortunately he couldn't match her skill.

She leaped out of his reach, then lashed out with both front paws, claws sheathed. She hit Lizardpaw square in his front legs, making Lizardpaw crumple to the ground with a gasp.

While he was recovering, she darted around to stand behind Lizardpaw, then grabbed his tail in her jaws and yanked, pulling him off balance. When Lizardpaw fell down, Brightpaw reared up on her hind legs and fell down on top of Lizardpaw, bringing all her weight on him all at once. "Oof!"

"Alright, seperate," Hawkclaw called. Brightpaw rolled off of Lizardpaw and stood. Lizardpaw stood slowly, getting his breath back and wheezing a little. "Good job, both of you. Lizardpaw, if you're smaller than your opponent, use speed instead of weight. When Brightpaw fell on top of you, you could have wriggled out from under her. Also, that move allows you to rake her belly."

"That's enough," Darkstorm cut in. "We'll be going over some moves tomorrow. In the mean time, head back to camp and eat and rest. We'll be leaving for the gathering soon."

* * *

"But why do you get to go and not us?" Tumblekit whined, grabbing at Brightpaw as she tried to leave the nursery. "It's not fair! I wanna go too!" It was hard to leave with Tumblekit and Lichenkit trying to pull her back into the nursery unsuccessfully.

"That's enough," Dawnpool said sternly, coming to the rescue and picking Tumblekit up so he swung from her muzzle, still trying to grab his mother. Brightpaw, meanwhile, grabbed Lichenkit's scruff and swung her onto their nest. "Enough!" she snapped, feeling ready to hide. "I'm allowed to go to gatherings! I'll be home soon, now stop arguing and be good for the other queens." Before they could jump up and try to pull her back again, Brightpaw rushed over to the group leaving camp. Frostheart shot her a sympathetic look, then trotted to catch up with Featherstar, whispering to her.

After what felt like ages, RiverClan finally arrived at the gathering. The other apprentices separated to go hang out with the other apprentices, but Brightpaw stood awkwardly by Hawkclaw, not knowing where to go. The cats her age were already warriors, and the apprentices were all at least a moon younger than her. She really wasn't sure where to go. Fortunately, the cold encouraged everyone to spend less time sharing tongues, so the leaders called the beginning of the gathering quite early.

"Hollystar, would you like to go first?" Harestar offered.

Hollystar nodded and stood a little straighter on her branch. "Thank you, Harestar." She turned to face the clearing. "ThunderClan is doing well. Patchfern has retired, and we have three new apprentices. Birchpaw, Brackenpaw, and Briarpaw." Once the clans stopped cheering, Hollystar added, "That is all ThunderClan has to share."

Sunstar cleared his throat. "ShadowClan is strong and healthy despite leaf bare. We have three new apprentices, Silverpaw, Spottedpaw, and Specklepaw."

When Sunstar glanced at Harestar, Harestar shrugged. "WindClan has nothing much to share. Rainwillow has moved to the nursery, but other then that, we remain strong."

Featherstar spoke. "Despite the harsh season, RiverClan is still strong. We have two new warriors, Scorchtail and Otternose."

Brightpaw raised her voice to cheer for her brother and sister. Somewhere in the clearing, she was sure they were standing proudly. Once the cats quieted, Featherstar continued. "We also have three new apprentices, Adderpaw, Pricklepaw, and Lizardpaw." Featherstar waited for the cheering to die down. "Some of you may be wondering why Rainears is down there with the deputies. As I've mentioned in a previous gathering, I banished Eelspots from RiverClan for raping an apprentice multiple times. Recently, we discovered that he was still wandering RiverClan territory, and when Sandstripe went to drive him off, he killed her." All around Brightpaw, cats grew hushed. "Please, if you see Eelspots on your territory, do not hesitate to drive him away. RiverClan is currently actively searching for him, so if you see, hear, or smell any traces of him, please let a patrol know."

"Is that all?" Hollystar asked, sounding bored. Brightpaw guessed that since ThunderClan was opposite from RiverClan, the leader felt this didn't affect her clan. "It's cold."

"Yes, this is all."

"Then the gathering is over!" Hollystar announced, hopping down. "ThunderClan, we're leaving."

"WindClan is leaving as well," Harestar added as he jumped down from the tree. "We will let you know if there are any traces of Eelspots, Featherstar."

"ShadowClan, head out," Sunstar called.

Brightpaw watched Featherstar talk quietly to the other leaders and the deputies as they slowly separated, then Featherstar called for RiverClan to leave and Brightpaw began walking towards the tree bridge, yawning. She was not looking forward to dealing with her kits back home...

* * *

**Blada blada so tired...hope you enjoy this chapter!**

**~Topaz**


	24. Chapter 22

**See, I'm posting again! It's a miracle! I've been sucked into the hole that is DHMIS, but I crawled out long enough to post this. After all, there's a time and a place for mucking around!**

**iDragonSpyro wrote: "EMBRACE THE RAINBOW!️ *gets on pink fluffy unicorn and dances away on a beam of magical rainbowness*"**

**Reply: "YES! EMBRACE IT! Unless it's nyan cat. Then kill that rainbow. There is an elementary schooler at my school who's maybe six years old and plays the nyan cat song on his ipad to drive people crazy. . GRR"**

**Greykit, the disclaimer?**

**Greykit: Topaz does not own Warriors! Did I do it? Do I get to be a warrior?**

**Me: You bet your cute butt you do!**

**Greykit: Yay!**

**~Topaz**

* * *

_Two moons later_

Brightpaw returned from hunting to get swarmed by the older nursery kits. Now that new "Brightpaw, Brightpaw! Show me the hunter's crouch, please?" Swallowkit asked her, looking up with big eyes.

"Why are you asking her?" Lichenkit sneered at Swallowkit before Brightpaw could respond, "She's my mother, not a warrior."

Brightpaw put the fish she'd manage to catch on the pile, trying to ignore her daughter's stinging words. She didn't know what she was saying. Kits never knew how to view their parents. It would pass...right?

"Come on, let's go ask Blackwater for a story!" Greykit begged the others. "I wanna hear the story about Willowshine's daughter! Lilystep said I can't play fight or I'll get dirty and she'll make Featherstar hold me back another moon!" Brightpaw noticed that Greykit's fur was uncommonly shiny and sleek. It must be her apprentice ceremony today.

"Oh yeah, I wanna hear that too!" Brightpaw sighed in relief as the kits raced off. Picking up two fish, she carried them into the nursery, dropping the bigger one between Lilystep and Blueshine, before sitting down to start eating. Even though new leaf had arrived with the ice melting and fish returning, the clan was taking it carefully, not wanting fish to run out. Brightpaw knew something like that had happened seasons before Silverstar, the leader before Featherstar, was born. It had taken moons of starvation before the fish returned.*

"Shadekit, would you like some?" she offered her daughter, seeing Shadekit was grooming some dirt out of her fur and eyeing the fish with both curiosity and hunger. Shadekit didn't wait to be asked twice, but dove down and began scarfing it down. Brightpaw rolled her eyes at Shadekit's impatience and finished eating.

At least her kits had mostly stopped nursing. They still occasionally nursed at night or for comfort, but Goldensky had said she'd probably start drying up and they would stop that, too. Brightpaw looked forward to that. She wasn't fond of teeth on her nipples or them kneading her belly, really any of the experience.

* * *

Some time later, Brightpaw heard Featherstar calling the clan together for a meeting. Lilystep was already pushing her kits out of the nursery, Mallowkit and Minnowkit complaining about it not being their turn to be apprentices. When Brightpaw left the nursery she found her kits sitting together, for once, quiet. Relieved they hadn't started misbehaving, Brightpaw sat by them. Greykit sat next to her father, who looked proud and nervous over his only surviving child becoming an apprentice.

"We have one of my favorite ceremonies today," Featherstar announced once everyone was there. "Seeing young cats become warriors is a joy. Greykit, come here." Greykit trembled visibly as she walked up to stand in front of Featherstar.

"Greykit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Greypaw. Your mentor will be Frostheart. I hope Frostheart. will pass down all he/she knows on to you. Frostheart," Featherstar called.

Brightpaw watched her mother walk up to stand next to Greypaw. "Frostheart, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You had received excellent training from myself, at least I hope it was." Featherstar paused to wait for the purrs of amusement to die down before she continued, "and you have shown yourself to be kind and patient. You will be the mentor of Greypaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Greypaw." Frostheart turned and touched noses with Greypaw as the rest of the clan cheered.

"Greypaw!" Brightpaw purred. She stopped calling Greypaw's name as Beechkit nudged her. Brightpaw looked down at her son. "What's wrong, Beechkit?"

Beechkit looked confused. "Blackwater said Nightbriar and Swiftstep are younger than you, so why aren't you a warrior?"

Brightpaw wasn't sure what to say to that. Nettlekit came to her rescue. "Don't you know?" Nettlekit scoffed, rolling her eyes at her brother and glancing back at Brightpaw before continuing, "She wanted to have us so she took a break!"

"Then why is she always training instead of spending time with us?" Beechkit pointed out, apparently not bothered by his sister's obvious impatience with him. "Blueshine plays with Swallowkit and Beetlekit all the time and tells them stories and stuff!"

"I don't know..." Nettlekit muttered, now looking annoyed. "Why do you have to correct me like that anyway?! I'm going to hear a story from Blackwater." Nettlekit stomped off.

* * *

***My theory is that when the lake was emptied of fish due to over-fishing, humans introduced new fish to the lake.**

**Anyway, Nettlekit isn't happy, but at least Brightpaw didn't have to answer Beechkit's questions! Yet...**

**MWAHAHA!**


	25. Chapter 23

**I'M SO EXCITED YOU GUYS**

**Since this week is spring break, I'm gonna be trying to post a new chapter every day. We'll see how that works out.**

**So, looking at the timeline, I'd say this book will be two, three more chapters tops. Maybe an epilogue, too, if I feel like it. Then...the sequel! Full disclaimer, I'm not bothering to edit the fight scene(s) that much. There will be at least one in the climax. It will be edited, yeah, but I don't think it will draw out quite as much as I would like it to. I'm impatient, sue me. As you may expect, the sequel will center around Brightpaws kits. So. Yeah.**

**Enjoy-oh, wait, review stuff!**

**Silverstar345 wrote: "But if Frostheart is a she-cat how could she and Sandstripe have kits? But great prologue"**

**Reply: "Frostheart is not biologically the kits parents. Troutface is her brother, and he technically fathered Sandstripe's kits, but the clan considers Frostheart and Sandstripe the parents. I'm glad you like the prologue, I hope you like the rest too!"**

**~Topaz**

* * *

"Featherstar! We have a visitor here for you!" Brightpaw glanced up from where she was sharing tongues with Swiftstep to see Darkstorm, Brookleap, and Frostheart enter camp, their apprentices trailing behind them. Between Greypaw and Lizardpaw, looking terrified, were Volepaw of ThunderClan and Newtpaw of ShadowClan.

Featherstar exited the nursery, looking regal and put-together despite having only fallen asleep after the dawn patrol left, since she had begun giving birth last night and only finished in time for Snowbelly to go on the dawn patrol. Rainears had offered to let him stay with Featherstar, but Featherstar herself had insisted that patrols go out as normal. "Why are two apprentices from different clans on RiverClan territory?" she asked Darkstorm, not sounding worried at all.

Before Darkstorm could reply, Volepaw burst out, "We don't have time for this! Please, Featherstar, we need your help!"

Featherstar cocked her head, then glanced at Newtpaw. "Are you two running away from your clans to be together?" she demanded.

The two apprentices glanced at each other, then shuddered. "Of course not!" Newtpaw snapped. More calmly, she mewed, "This morning, Oakstar sent his deputy to as for help with a group of rogues they'd found on their territory. From the scent and description, it seemed to be the group that Eelspots had joined when you banished him, and they were making trouble for ThunderClan. Since Sunstars daughter was attacked and killed by the group, ShadowClan had a personal grudge against them to settle, so Sunstar sent a patrol. We thought we'd be able to handle the group easily enough, but they're almost as trained as a warrior, and there's too many for us to handle. Please come and help, or we'll die!" Newtpaw stopped and breathed noisily.

Featherstar's fur bristled, and she murmured something in Rainears' ear, then turned to face the clan that had by now gathered to see the two apprentices. "RiverClan! ShadowClan and ThunderClan need our help! It seems Eelspots has turned a rogue group's attention towards the clans, and we must band together to drive them out! Rainears will take one patrol ahead, and a larger relief patrol will follow. The first patrol will be Swiftstep, Hawkclaw, and Mudfoot."

Brightpaw licked Swiftstep's ear. "You'd better come back safe," she meowed sternly, trying not to show him how scared she was for him.

Swiftstep purred. "I'll be fine. Want me to bring back some rogue fur for your nest?" Brightpaw purred, and Swiftstep walked over. Once the three cats in the patrol gathered, Rainears led them out of the camp with Newtpaw and Volepaw with them.

Featherstar then continued. "I want Mossflower, Darkstorm, Stoneclaw, Yellowstorm, Cinderfrost, and Otternose on the second patrol with Goldensky to deal with any serious wounds. No apprentices." When Lizardpaw and Pricklepaw started to complain, she silenced them with a look. "I want all the apprentices to stay behind and help guard camp. We don't know if Eelspots will bring a second group here. He might want to personally attack here, and if so, the queens, kits, and medicine cat need protection."

Brightpaw realized if she didn't say something now, she'd be left behind. "Excuse me, Featherstar?" she meowed softly.

Featherstar turned, surprised. "Yes, Brightpaw?"

"I'd like to come too," Brightpaw meowed quietly, but firmly. She made it a statement, not a request.

Featherstar looked like she wanted to argue, but she didn't. "Very well, Brightpaw. You'll come in the second patrol."

* * *

Brightpaw gave her fur a hasty grooming as she waited for Goldensky to give her the traveling herbs Featherstar had told him to give the patrol. In the mean time, her kits seemed determined to get her to either stay in the nursery or let them come too. "But I can fight!" Lichenkit tried to convince Brightpaw. "See?" She tried to jump on Beechkit's back, but he leaned forward at the last minute to groom his paws and she fell in the dirt. "Ow! Beechkit, you hurt meee!"

Beechkit glanced back at his sister, then his ears flattened. "Sorry, Lichenkit!" he cried, "Try again, I'm sure you'll do it this time!"

"Brightpaw, don't leave, I'll miss you!" Shadekit whined, pawing at Brightpaw's chest.

Brightpaw sighed. "I promise, I won't be gone forever, Shadekit. I just need to go help. I'll be back."

"No you won't, I know you won't!" Shadekit was not to be moved.

Nettlekit sat in the corner of the nursery, hissing and growling to herself. "Look, kits, calm down, okay? I need to go protect the clan." Brightpaw knew Featherstar would be furious if Brightpaw's kits woke Featherstars with their complaining. Featherstar was staying behind. Rainears and Goldensky had both told her she couldn't leave her kits for so long. Featherstar had agreed, but Brightpaw doubted they could have kept Featherstar in camp if she hadn't. "You need to stay here and help protect the kits and make sure they're not scared, okay? Minnowkit and Mallowkit are younger then you, and Doekit, Creekkit, Applekit, and Sootkit will be scared since they don't know anything about what's going on. You need to help protect them. It's a big job, okay?"

"Okay," Lichenkit muttered, not sounding convinced. Tumblekit looked excited at the prospect of protecting the younger kits. Nettlekit continued to sit in the corner by herself, but at least she wasn't hissing anymore. Just in time, too. Goldensky dropped some herbs in front of Brightpaw, along with a leaf bundle. "Carry this for me," he ordered briskly, then moved on. Sighing, Brightpaw swallowed the traveling herbs as quickly as possible to avoid the awful taste, then picked up the leaf bundle and trotted out, tossing one last, "be good, kits!" behind her.

* * *

**It occurs to me the chapter will be just a little too heavy if I put the fight scene in THIS chapter, soo...another chapter! **

**~Topaz**


	26. The Battle Part 1

**This is more for my benefit then your's but Oakstar is leader because a few days before the current battle, Hollystar was killed. Basically, Eelspots has pissed off everyone.**

**Anyway, on with the story! I don't own WC, blah blah.**

**~Topaz**

* * *

Before the patrol had even crossed into ThunderClan territory, they could hear yowls of pain and other sounds of fighting coming from quite a distance away. Struggling through the trees and underbrush that covered ThunderClan territory, they burst into a semi-clear area with cats fighting everywhere.

Featherstar turned to the group. "Focus on backing up cats who are out-numbered or clearly need help. I'm going to find Oakstar, he'll want to know we are on his side. Brightpaw, I want you to take the herbs to that bush over there, I can scent ShadowClan and ThunderClans medicine cats there, and they'll need protecting."

"But-!" Brightpaw started to argue, but stopped with a frown. "Fine." She wasn't fooled for a second, she knew Featherstar was keeping Brightpaw out of the fighting intentionally, but now wasn't the time to argue with her leader. Collecting the other bundles from Cinderfrost and Yellowstorm, she hurried to the bush that had been indicated, weaving around clumps of fighting cats and managing to avoid being drawn into any battle. When she reached the bush, she found Fallowheart of ThunderClan applying a poultice to a pale grey tom's flank. Under all the stench of blood, Brightpaw could smell that the tom was a ThunderClan warrior. As Brightpaw dropped the leaf wraps by the herbs the medicine cats had brought, Mintstorm entered the den dragging in a a grey and white she-cat, Petalpaw following, supporting a ThunderClan apprentice and fretting.

"Be quiet, Petalpaw, it'll be fine," Mintstorm snapped. He turned his sharp gaze on Brightpaw. "RiverClan apprentice, come put your paws on this wound. Dapplecloud needs pressure put on it to slow the bleeding." As Brightpaw rushed to do Mintstorm's bidding, he turned to Petalpaw's patient. "What's wrong, Foxpaw?"

Foxpaw groaned. "I was trying to help Goosepaw and-"

"Yes yes, give us the details later, just tell us what hurts," Mintstorm interrupted.

Foxpaw was apparently used to the medicine cat's manner. "He grabbed my scruff and shook me."

"What else?" Mintstorm asked Petalpaw. "Clearly you wouldn't bring him in for something that small, Sharpnose knows better then to teach you such foolishness."

Petalpaw seemed to shrink a little inside her fur. "A-he's got a wrenched shoulder," she mumbled.

"And what do you do for that?" Mintstorm prompted. He glanced back at Brightpaw, who was doing her best to slow Dapplecloud's bleeding. "That's fine, have Fallowheart give you some of that poultice she made and apply it on Dapplecloud's wound, then put some cobwebs on it. Fallowheart, once Dapplecloud's wounds are dealt with, give her half a poppy seed for the pain and send her to the nursery. Petalpaw, you'll need to get a warrior to make sure she goes back instead of joining the fight."

Brightpaw could see where this was going. As long as she was with the medicine cats, she would just be used to help care for the wounded cats. She had no interest in avoiding fighting. "I'll help Dapplecloud back to the nursery," she offered before Petalpaw could leave.

"Fine." Mintstorm didn't seem to really care. "Petalpaw, since you seem to have forgotten your patient, does that mean he's all better?"

"No...I mean, no, a wrenched shoulder has to be pushed back in place."

"Just like that with no warning?"

Brightpaw turned at a tap on her shoulder to see Fallowtail holding a leaf out with some gunk on it, looking impatient. Brightpaw took the leaf and spread the paste gingerly on Dappleclouds cut, before taking some of the cobwebs that were stuck to the top of the bush and sticking them on Dapplecloud's flank. "Time to go, Dapplecloud."

"Not before she eats this," Fallowheart interrupted, slipping a pale brown paw in front of Dapplecloud's muzzle with half a poppy seed. "Mintstorm said."

"Well, if Mintstorm said," Dapplecloud muttered dryly, but she took it with a grimace. "Let's go, 'paw."

Brightpaw swallowed an argument and stood next to Dapplecloud, shouldering some of her weight, as they left the den.

As soon as Dapplecloud was with the queens and other cats that had been sent to the nursery, Brightpaw joined the fighting. The first thing she saw was a dark grey tom with odd white stripes grabbing the scruff of a warrior and pressing down on her belly. A cold chill raced down Brightpaw's back, and she launched herself at him. She surprised both herself and the tom when she grabbed the back of his scruff and managed to pull him away from the she-cat . It helped that he was so startled that he hadn't been struggling. The she-cat he'd been assaulting backed up, ears flat, then suddenly lashed at at the tom's belly, scoring deep lines across it. As the rogue yowled in pain, Brightpaw brought her paws up and slammed them down on his ears. She knew from experience that his head was probably ringing right now. Now that she was no longer hidden from the tom on top of her, Brightpaw recognized te other she-cat as a ShadowClan warrior named Dovetalon. Brightpaw was tempted to continue the fight, but the look in Dovetalon's eyes told her that Dovetalon didn't need any further help getting vengence on this foxheart.

Brightpaw moved on and helped two young apprentices who were being attacked by two of the rogues. It was when they had sent one of the rogues running away and the other was lying ominously still that Brightpaw scented something very familiar. Eelspots. She turned, and saw Eelspots standing at the edge of the clearing, staring out at the chaos he had caused. Their eyes met, and Eelspots narrowed his eyes, then turned his gaze on Briarpaw. Brightpaw knew the apprentice was new enough that she wouldn't have been taught much, and in the process of avoiding the fighting, she had accidentally wandered closer to him. With a smirk, Eelspots approached the she-cat.

Brightpaw could see from here the younger apprentice was in no shape to fight Eelspots. Briarpaw was struggling to regain her breath, and her dark brown flank was covered in shallow cuts. Brightpaw made up her mind. She wasn't going to let Eelspots ruin another apprentices life. Just as Eelspots reached Briarpaw, Brightpaw raced over, screeching wildly and launching herself at him.

Eelspots fell back, surprise on his face, then he snarled and clawed at Brightpaw's belly. When she rolled out of the way to avoid his claws, he took the opportunity to back away. Eelspots lunged at her, aiming for an ear, but she ducked down at the last moment and slithered under his belly, only to stand up suddenly and knock Eelspots off balance. He fell again, stared at her with anger and what looked like fear, then turned on his tail and fled.

Brigtpaw stared in disbelief, then turned at a tail on her shoulder. Hawkclaw stood next to her, Swiftstep slightly behind Brigtpaw's mentor. The figting had mostly died out. "Go after him," Hawkclaw meowed quietly.

Brightpaw stared at him, not sure why Hawkclaw would say something like that. Then Swiftstep spoke up. "He's hurt you the most, Brightpaw. I-he's yours." Brightpaw heard the unspoken words. _He's your kill._

"Featherstar will send a few warriors after you," Hawclaw said, as if he read her mind and new that she was tired and scared she'd lose, not wanting to risk her kits future and her own life for revenge. "Now go, before the scent fades!"

Brightpaw needed no further persuasion.

* * *

**AND THAT ENDS THIS CHAPTER!**

**Well...Brightpaw has been given carte blanche permission to kill. You don't see warriors do that pretty often. I wonder if she'll use it...?**

**Til next time,**

**~Topaz**


	27. The Battle Part 2

**My apologies, people. I had no internet for most of the day, and then LONG STORY WARNING: when I went to the basement (we live with my paternal grandmother, so her basement is HUGE with two shelves in the middle for lots of stuff and tons of really dangerous stuff lying around, but very cool stuff, too) to talk to my dad about the internet which he was about to fix, I wandered over to look at some wood that I was considered asking for for a school project, he FORGOT ME AND LEFT AND TURNED OFF THE LIGHT.****I was wandering around the basement with nothing but a piece of wood to avoid stepping on anything that would hurt me, trying to find the stairs in pitch darkness, trying to get on the side of the shelves WITH the stairs, and trying to shout loud enough for my grandmother who lives on the first floor to hear me over her headphones (spoiler, she didn't, I only escaped through luck). Needless to say, when I got out the light hurt and my throat hurt and I've been recovering for a while.**

**Moral of the story, if you go in big basements, take a flashlight or you'll regret it.**

**Okay, RAMBLE OVER.**

**Review time? Wow.**

**Rainstorm of ShadowClan wrote: "I don't think she'll kill him."**

**Me: "Hmm. Interesting. Why not?**

**I don't know why I ask for reasons, I mean I'm answering this review in the same chapter when you get the results, so...anyway, glad to hear you guys theorizing in the reviews! Keep up the guesswork!"**

**iDragonSpyro wrote: "SHE SHOULD TOTALLY USE IT! If not can you like, put a random cat in that just suddenly appears and is like "WHAM BAM PINEAPPLE UP HIS SNOUT!" because I want him to suffer before he dies and because Kinkajou from Wings of Fire is hilarious?"**

**Me: "o.o... Um... What?**

**I mean, hilarious, I feel, if you know the reference. Unfortunately, I don't know the reference, so I just feel dumb. Still, I do find it amusing! Though perhaps mostly because I'm thinking of what would actually happen if I got a pineapple wedged up one of Eelspots' orifices. Sounds HILARIOUS. Hope you enjoy the chapter!"**

**~Topaz**

* * *

Brightpaw followed the trail Eelspots was leaving, thanking StarClan that he was leaving such an obvious trace. Along with his scent, he was still bleeding, and hadn't done anything to stop it. He wasn't trying to avoid tracking at all. Brightpaw doubted he thought she would actually go after him. He would soon learn better.

As the scent got fresher, with more blood and occasional hairs, Brightpaw began to feel hesitance. Could she do it? Could she really kill Eelspots? No matter how horrible of a cat he was, could she stoop so low as to take a cat's life?

Brightpaw shut down those thoughts. Instead, she thought of Dawnpool, who had learned that the love of her life and the father of her kits made such monsterous decisions, and that he never regretted it; of Pricklepaw, who had idolized his father to the point where he stole the entire clan's store of catmint, and had been devestated when he found out that Eelspots had tricked him so cruelly; of Sandstripe, her mother, who had been torn between her duties as RiverClan deputy and her duties as Brightpaws mother, and in the end had died trying to keep her safe.

Brightpaw thought of her own kits, kits she had never wanted, and while she certainly loved them, she still felt awkward and knew she wasn't ready or capable of being a mother. Her kits had been born of a brutal attack, not a loving or agreed upon mating. What would happen to her kits in the future because of this? For all Brightpaw knew, they would become monsters themselves, or hate her for not being a good mother.

Thinking of all the cats affected by Eelspots' treachery, Brightpaws anger grew and grew, until she no longer felt any hesitance to rip Eelspots apart. Her fur prickled in excitment when she realized the trail was leading her closer and closer to Eelspots. He must have stopped to take a break. _Fish-brain_, Brightpaw thought scornfully. She continued along the path until she stood behind a bush. Eelspots stood, panting and heaving, not even bothering to glance around to see if anyone was near him. Also in Brightpaw's luck was the wind. She was upwind of Eelspots, so she could smell him but he couldn't smell her.

Brightpaw stepped forward, already imagining sinking her claws into his fur. This proved to be her fatal mistake. As she approached him, she tripped over a sprawling tree root and tumbled across the clearing, sending shooting pain through the cuts she'd already accumulated on her body, and sending her belly-up in front of Eelspots, giving him a clear opportunity. Eelspots took it.

It only took Brightpaw a few seconds to recover, but in that time, Eelspots crouched, and leapt onto Brightpaw, pinning her to the ground and knocking the air out of her again. As she gasped for breath, Eelspots bared his teeth in an evil grin. "Still stepping out of line, are we?" he sneered, running a paw with bared claws down the side of her face, pressing down just enough to leave thin cuts behind. Brightpaw swallowed, trying not show fear. Eelspots could clearly smell her fear, though, because his grin widened, and he pulled his claw back. "Come now, Brightpaw, I don't want to hurt you."

He paused, and Brightpaw began to think she might actually have a chance. Then he smirked. "Oh wait, I do!" He took both his paws and dug all his claws into her chest, dragging them down with a loud ripping sound. Brightpaw yowled in agony and tried to jerk away, but Eelspots continued to drag his claws down until he reached her upper legs, then pulled them away and leaned back to observe his work. "Don't worry, you'll still be able to have kits," he meowed, as if that was her biggest worry. "After all, it's the only thing you're good for."

Brightpaw started to despair. Even if Eelspots wasn't going to kill her, the amount of blood that was starting to pour from the cuts on her chest and belly would kill her eventually, and she doubted Eelspots was going to treat it. He was going to sit there and watch her die, probably torture her some more. Then she got angry.

"No!" Brightpaw snarled up at Eelspots, startling him, "I'm more then that! I'm strong! I'm a warrior! I can do anything any cat can do! I won't be told what to do by the likes of you any more!" With that, she lunged up and grabbed Eelspots throat in her jaws, clamping down and immobilizing Eelspots by reaching around his body with her front and back paws.

Eelspots' eyes widened, and he thrashed about, lashing out at Brightpaw wildly, but she ignored the pain of his claws and teeth, keeping her jaws around him until she felt him start to slow down and slump. Then she let go of him, wriggled her way out from under his body ever so slowly, and stood in front of Eelspots, watching him coldly, seeing the light slowly drain out of his eyes.

She knew she should be feeling guilt, horror, something, but all she felt was disgust. Gathering up a wad of saliva, Brightpaw spat on his body, then turned and left the clearing, and her tormentor, behind. Black spots were starting to dance in her vision, and she could hear thundering pawsteps indicating the cats Hawkclaw had mentioned were coming, but Brightpaw didn't care. She'd finally done it.

* * *

**SHE DID ITTTTT**

**SHE KILLED HIM**

**FINALLY**

**I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS Y'ALL**

**LIKE FUCK**

**FUCK YOU EELSPOTS SO GLAD I DON'T HAVE TO WRITE YOU AGAIN**

**Anyway, bye for now.**

**~Topaz**


	28. Chapter 26 (Final chapter)

_Several days later_

"Frostheart, I can groom myself," Brightpaw argued, jerking away from her mother and glancing back at her own kits, who were starting to play with her eyes not on them. "Lichenkit, stop that! You five need to be clean for your ceremony! I spent the entire morning washing your fur, and I'm not gonna do it again."

Frostheart purred. "They'll be fine, Brightpaw, your sister is watching them." Otternose had started to take more of an interest in the kits. Brightpaw suspected this had something to do with her sisters growing relationship with Darkstorm. "Anyway, you may be their mother, but I'm your mother, and I won't let you go to your warrior ceremony looking like you've been up half the night."

"I was up half the night," Brightpaw pointed out sensibly, shooting her kits a half-hearted glare. "They were too excited to sleep." Frostheart just purred in amusement and finished grooming Brightpaw, paying special attention to her chest and belly in an attempt to mask the dark scars along her body. Goldensky said she was healing well from Eelspots' attack, but she would likely bear these scars the rest of her life. Another reminder of her first mentor.

"There, I'm done." Frostheart stood back and observed her work, then sighed heavily. Brightpaw noticed Frostheart's expression was soft and cloudy. "Your mother would be so proud of you."

"I'm sure she's looking down at you from StarClan," another voice added. Swiftstep appeared, walking over and nuzzling Brightpaw gently, ignoring Frostheart's panicked mew about messing up fur. "I'm so glad you're finally becoming a warrior, Brightpaw. You deserve it."

Brightpaw purred, rubbing her muzzle along Swiftsteps. "We'll finally be able to hunt together as warriors."

* * *

Standing in front of Featherstar, Brightpaw could see her kits out of the corner of her eyes, bouncing excitedly as they stood next to their new mentors. Swallowpaw and Beetlepaw stood quite still, but Brightpaw knew Blueshine had threatened to make Featherstar hold them back a moon if they didn't behave perfectly during the ceremonies.

Featherstar looked down at Brightpaw, pride in her eyes. "Too long has this apprentice waited for her name, despite training as hard as any cat. I can think of no cat who deserves her ceremony more. Hawkclaw, do you feel Brightpaw is ready to become a warrior?"

"More then," Hawkclaw replied, his eyes shining with pride, both for his apprentice, and his kits. "She has proven to be a diligent warrior, an asset to our clan."

Featherstar looked back at Brightpaw as she spoke the time-honored words. "I, Featherstar, leader of RiverClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn.

"Brightpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Brightpaw took a deep breath, feeling pain along each of her new scars as she exhaled. "I do."

Featherstar continued. "Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Brightpaw, from this moment you will be known as Brightdawn. StarClan honors your courage and determination, and we welcome you as a full warrior of RiverClan."

Nettlepaw was the first to call her mother's new name. "Brightdawn! Brightdawn!"

Brightdawn turned and faced the clan, purring so hard that she thought she might fall over. She had done it. Despite all of Eelspots' attempts to sabotage her training, she had become a warrior and protected her clan. She was a strong warrior. Eelspots could no longer break her, or any other cat.

* * *

**So yes, this is the end, sort of, of Breaking Bright. I'm gonna post allegiances after this, and since sequel won out, I'll be working on that over the weekend to start posting. I hope you liked this story, and I hope you guys will enjoy the tales of Brightdawn's kits.**

**Finally, I have a deviant art account, and I posted the first of a series of pictures of what the characters look like, made with a GREAT cat maker game that someone made. Since I can't link properly, my account on it is firebird361011, and the name of the piece is Brightdawn (Breaking Bright).**

**I hope to see you all on the sequel.**

**~Topaz**


	29. Final Allegiances and Review Respones

**It's the final chapter! Well, no, last chapter was the last chapter. I didn't lie when I titled it that. This is just responses to the last few reviews I got, and the final allegiences for the clans at the end of this book. I THINK I got it all right. -_- I'll be writing non-stop, and I'll update this story ONE more time to let you know when it comes out, but as of your reading this, it is marked as complete.**

**Anyway.**

**iDragonSpyro wrote: "YUUUUUSSSSSS THE DOUCHE IS DEAD! ALL HAIL BRIGHTPAW!"**

**Reply: "YESSS**

**JOIN ME IN CHEERING**

**AND CELEBRATING**

**HERE HAVE A CAKE IT HAS TINY MARSHMALLOWS IN THE SHAPE OF BRIGHTDAWN'S KITS"**

**Featherfrost of StormClan wrote: "Can I have an Oc in the new story?"**

**Reply: "Hmm...well, if you'd like to submit an OC through review or PM, you can. I make no promises, however, if and where they show up, and I might tweak appearance or personality to fit in with the story and family. But keep in mind, they're more likely to be background characters."**

* * *

**RiverClan**

Leader

Featherstar - pale grey tabby she-cat with yellow eyes and long fur (named Featherkit at birth because her ears/tail were extremely fluffy and active for a just born kitten, 1/9 lives left, mates with Snowbelly, mother of Cinderfrost, Shellwhisker, Applekit, Doekit, Creekkit, and Sootkit)

_Apprentice, Shadepaw_

Deputy

Rainears - dark blue-grey tom with blue eyes (mates with Lilystep, father of Swiftstep and Nightbriar)

_Apprentice, Beetlepaw_

Medicine Cat

Goldensky - Black tom with ginger-brown tabby-tortie pattern and green eyes

Warriors (toms and she-cats without kits)

Snowbelly - light brown tabby tom with several white streaks along his belly from a battle when he was an apprentice (mates with Featherstar, father of Cinderfrost, Shellwhisker, Applekit, Doekit, Creekkit, and Sootkit)

_Apprentice, Adderpaw_

Troutface - pale silver tabby tom with blue eyes and black paws (named because hes really good at catching trout, and went around bragging that he was so much more handsome than the others, that the fish leaped to their deaths for his face. Featherstar named him that to humble him, but after a while it stopped feeling like a cruel name and more like his name. Mates with Mossflower, father of Stoneclaw and Brookleap)

Frostheart - silver tabby she-cat with yellow eyes (mates with Sandstripe, mother of Brightdawn, Otternose, Scorchtail, Dawnflight, Shadekit, Hailkit, Cloudkit, and Dustkit)

_Apprentice, Greypaw_

Mossflower - dark brown tabby she-cat with copper eyes (mates with Troutface, mother of Stoneclaw and Brookleap)

_Apprentice, Pricklepaw_

Dawnpool - golden-brown tabby she-cat with green eyes (mates with Eelspots, mother of Mudfoot, Yellowstorm, Adderpaw, Pricklepaw, Lizardpaw, and Specklekit)

_Apprentice, Nettlepaw_

Darkstorm - black tom with yellow eyes (mates with Otternose)

_Apprentice, Lizardpaw_

Mudfoot - dark brown tom with amber eyes (son of Eelspots and Dawnpool, mates with Hawkclaw and Blueshine, father of Swallowpaw, Beetlepaw, and Splashkit)

Blueshine - deep blue-grey she-cat with yellow eyes (mates with Mudfoot and Hawkclaw, mother of Swallowpaw, Beetlepaw, and Splashkit)

Hawkclaw - black tom with blue eyes (named when he saved some kits from a bird of some sort-possibly a heron, mates with Mudfoot and Blueshine, father of Beetlepaw, Swallowpaw, and Splashkit)

Stoneclaw - dark grey tabby tom with yellow eyes (son of Troutface and Mossflower, mates with Mistystream, father of Greypaw, Silverkit, and Smokekit)

Brookleap - pale brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes (daughter of Troutface and Mossflower)

_Apprentice, Beechpaw_

Cinderfrost - pale grey she-cat with blue eyes (Daughter of Snowbelly and Featherstar)

Shellwhisker - Fawn spotted tabby tom with amber eyes (Son of Snowbelly and Featherstar)

Yellowstorm - Lilac-grey tabby tom with copper eyes (son of Dawnpool and unknown tom)

_Apprentice, Lichenpaw_

Otternose - dark grey tabby she-cat with yellow eyes (daughter of Sandstripe and Troutface/Frostheart, mates with Darkstorm)

_Apprentice, Swallowpaw_

Scorchtail - deep ginger tabby tom with amber eyes (son of Sandstripe and Troutface/Frostheart, mates with Nightbriar)

_Apprentice, Tumblepaw_

Nightbriar - brown white-speckled she-cat with blue eyes (daughter of Rainears and Lilystep, mates with Scorchtail)

Swiftstep - skinny white tom with blue eyes (son of Rainears and Lilystep, mates with Brightdawn)

Brightdawn - cinnamon tabby she-cat with blue eyes (daughter of Sandstripe and Troutface/Frostheart, mates with Swiftstep, mother of Tumblepaw, Beechpaw, Shadepaw, Nettlepaw, and Lichenpaw)

Apprentices

Adderpaw - dark brown spotted tabby she-cat with yellow eyes (daughter of Eelspots and Dawnpool)

Pricklepaw - dark brown tom with yellow eyes (son of Eelspots and Dawnpool)

Lizardpaw - black tom with green eyes (son of Eelspots and Dawnpool)

Greypaw - dark grey she-cat with yellow eyes (daughter of Stoneclaw and Mistystream)

Swallowpaw - dark grey tom with amber eyes (son of Blueshine and Mudfoot)

Beetlepaw - black tom with yellow eyes (son of Blueshine and Hawkclaw)

Nettlepaw - golden brown she-cat with black paws and yellow eyes (daughter of Brightdawn and Eelspots)

Tumblepaw - quite small and undersized ginger tabby tom with cream chest/belly/face and green eyes (son of Brightdawn and Eelspots)

Lichenpaw - pale grey she-cat with pale brown paws/ears and amber eyes (daughter of Brightdawn and Eelspots)

Shadepaw - extremely tiny and slender cinnamon caliby [calico tabby] she-cat with yellow eyes (daughter of Brightdawn and Eelspots)

Beechpaw - brown tabby tom with pale grey paws/tail and amber eyes (son of Brightdawn and Eelspots)

Queens

Lilystep - white she-cat with silver spotted tabby markings and blue eyes, mother of: Mallowkit (pale brown tabby she-cat with yellow eyes) and Minnowkit (grey she-cat with white patched pelt and blue eyes)

Featherstar - see leader description, mother of Snowbelly's kits: Applekit (reddish brown tabby she-cat with white muzzle, paws, and belly, and yellow eyes), Doekit (pale brown she-cat with blue eyes and long fluffy fur), Creekkit (grey tabby tom with white belly and paws and blue eyes), and Sootkit (dark grey tabby she-cat with long fluffy fur and amber eyes)

Elders

Blackwater - black tom with grey-speckled fur and yellow eyes (father of Sandstripe and Goldensky)

**ThunderClan**

Leader

Oakstar - dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes (mates with Sedgetail, father of Birchpaw, Brackenpaw, Briarpaw, Mosskit, and Tawnykit)

9/9 lives left

_Apprentice, Brackenpaw_

Deputy

Robinfur - ginger tabby she-cat with amber eyes (mother of Whiteclaw, Foxstorm, and Goosedawn, father unknown)

Medicine Cat

Mintstorm - pale grey tom with white paws and blue eyes

_Apprentice, Fallowheart_

Warriors

Patchfern - grey-and-white patched she-cat with greying muzzle and yellow eyes (mother of Mintstorm and Shrewnose, oldest warrior in the clan)

Shrewnose - pale grey-brown tom with amber eyes (mates with Cederstep, father of Fallowheart, Pouncefoot, and Greywhisker)

_Apprentice, Briarpaw_

Pineblaze - dark brown tom with yellow eyes (father of Oakfur and Poppywing, mother deceased from greencough)

Sedgetail - brown she-cat with yellow eyes (mates with Oakclaw, mother of Birchpaw, Brackenpaw, Briarpaw, Mosskit, and Tawnykit)

_Apprentice, Sparrowpaw_

Nightpelt - black tom with amber eyes (mates with Seedstripe, father of Hollyclaw, Pricklepelt, Blackpaw, Volepaw, and Sparrowpaw)

Seedstripe - brown tabby she-cat with yellow eyes (mates with Nightpelt, mother of Hollyclaw, Pricklepelt, Blackpaw, Volepaw, and Sparrowpaw)

Cederstep - light brown tabby she-cat with green eyes (mates with Shrewnose, mother of Fallowheart, Pouncefoot, and Greywhisker)

_Apprentice, Volepaw_

Thornleap - brown-furred tom with white paws and chest and amber eyes (mates with Hollystar, father of Goldenkit, Scorchkit, Lionkit, and Mousekit)

Hollyclaw - black she-cat with yellow eyes

Pricklepelt - black tom with yellow eyes

Whiteclaw - white she-cat with mismatched amber and blue eyes

Owlfang - pale cream colored tom with green eyes

_Apprentice, Birchpaw_

Oakfur - brown tom with amber eyes

Poppywing - dark brown, almost black she-cat with amber eyes

Pouncefoot - pale brown she-cat with white chest, paws, and muzzle, and amber eyes

_Apprentice, Brackenpaw_

Greywhisker - pale grey tom with yellow eyes

Foxstorm - ginger tabby tom with amber eyes (son of Robinfur)

Goosedawn - very pale grey she-cat with yellow eyes (daughter of Robinfur)

Apprentices

Fallowheart - pale brown tabby she-cat with green eyes (medicine cat apprentice)

Birchpaw - almost completely white with some brown speckles tom with amber eyes (son of Oakclaw and Sedgetail)

Brackenpaw - brown tabby tom with yellow eyes (son of Oakclaw and Sedgetail)

Briarpaw - dark brown she-cat with yellow eyes (son of Oakclaw and Sedgetail)

Volepaw - dark grey tom with white paws and amber eyes (son of Seedstripe and Nightpelt)

Sparrowpaw - pale brown tabby tom with yellow eyes (son of Seedstripe and Nightpelt)

Goldenpaw - golden-brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes (daughter of Hollystar and Thornleap)

Lionpaw - small pale golden-brown tom with yellow eyes (son of Hollystar and Thornleap)

Mousepaw - pale brown tom with yellow eyes (son of Hollystar and Thornleap)

Queens

Elders

Sootleap - lithe pale grey she-cat with very pale silvery-grey paws and green eyes (younger sister to Patchfern, retired early after a bout of greencough that also killed her kits)

Rowanfur - dark reddish-brown tom with yellow eyes and grey/white speckled pelt (father of Robinfur)

**ShadowClan**

Leader

Sunstar - dark ginger tabby tom with yellow eyes (mates with Quicknose, father of Amberkit and Flamekit)

6/9 lives left (he's a bit of a coward, he lost two lives to greencough)

Deputy

Ravenblaze - black she-cat with yellow eyes (mother of Nightpaw, Fawnpaw, and Pricklepaw)

Medicine Cat

Sharpnose - tawny brown tom with brindled pelt and amber eyes

_Apprentice, Petalpaw_

Warriors

Owlwhisker - white tom with pale brown speckled pelt and yellow eyes (mates with Dapplecloud, father of Petalpaw, Silverpaw, Spottedpaw, and Specklepaw)

Toadclaw - dark grey tom with green eyes (mates with Goldencloud, father of Sunpaw, Larchpaw, Duskpaw, Newtpaw, and Nightkit)

_Apprentice, Specklepaw_

Stoatfur - golden-brown tom with white chest, paws, and muzzle, and amber eyes

Blossompelt - tortoiseshell she-cat with ginger paws and black ears and blue eyes (mother of Petalpaw)

_Apprentice, Flamepaw_

Goldencloud - pale golden she-cat with yellow eyes (mates with Toadclaw, mother of Newtpaw)

Dapplecloud - grey she-cat with white spots and blue eyes (mates with Owlwhisker, mother of Silverpaw, Spottedpaw, and Specklepaw)

_Apprentice, Newtpaw_

Adderstorm - pale brown tabby tom with dark brown stripes and hazel eyes

_Apprentice, Spottedpaw_

Lizardclaw - dark grey, almost black tom with blue eyes

Marshcry - dusky brown tom with hazel eyes

Clovershade - pale grey she-cat with white paws and amber eyes

_Apprentice, Silverpaw_

Dovetalon - grey tabby she-cat

Sunblaze - golden tabby she-cat with yellow eyes

Larchwing - pale grey-brown she-cat with green eyes

Duskstorm - dark golden-brown tom with amber eyes

Apprentices

Petalpaw - white she-cat with ginger, black, and brown patches, and yellow eyes (medicine cat apprentice)

Newtpaw - dark grey she-cat with green eyes (daughter of Goldencloud and Toadclaw)

Silverpaw - pale grey tom with blue eyes (son of Dapplecloud and Owlwhisker)

Spottedpaw - pale brown she-cat with white spots and blue eyes (daughter of Dapplecloud and Owlwhisker)

Specklepaw - grey tom with dark grey speckles and blue eyes (son of Dapplecloud and Owlwhisker)

Flamepaw - ginger tabby tom with yellow eyes (son of Quicknose and Sunstar)

Nightpaw - black she-cat with yellow eyes (daughter of Ravenblaze)

Fawnpaw - fawn tabby she-cat with amber eyes (daughter of Ravenblaze)

Pricklepaw - pale brown she-cat with brindled pelt and amber eyes (daughter of Ravenblaze)

Queens

Cherrydapple - calico she-cat with lots of ginger spots and copper eyes, mother of Marshcry's kits: Mosskit (black-and-brown patched tom with yellow eyes) and Applekit (brown tabby she-cat with white belly, chest, muzzle, paws, and tail tip, with amber eyes)

Quicknose - chocolate tabby she-cat with copper eyes, mother of Sunstars kits: Thistlekit (dark reddish brown tabby tom with yellow eyes), Falconkit (light brown tabby tom with copper eyes), Vixenkit (pale ginger tabby she-cat with yellow eyes), and Brownkit (brown she-cat with light brown and dark brown patches and amber eyes)

Nutstrike - brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes, mother of Ferretleaps kits: Russetkit (small reddish brown tom with yellow eyes), Oakkit (dark brown tom with light brown paws and amber eyes), Twigkit (tiny brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes), and Quailkit (brown tabby she-cat with pale brown belly and yellow eyes)

Elders

Stormheart - dark grey tom with blue eyes (mates with deceased she-cat, father of Toadclaw and Dovepaw)

Ferretleap - skinny reddish-brown tom with partially white-speckled pelt and yellow eyes

**WindClan**

Leader

Runningstar - white tom with one orange eye and one blue eye

_Apprentice, Mallowpaw_

Deputy

Swallowdrop - dark grey tabby she-cat with white paws and blue eyes (mates with Icepelt, mother of Mintflower, Haystripe, and Silvermask)

Medicine Cat

Mintflower - silver tabby she-cat with green eyes

_Apprentice, Dewpaw_

Warriors

Fernsky - pale grey she-cat with greying muzzle, white-speckled pelt and green eyes (mates with Webfang, mother of Runningheart, Swallowdrop, and Woollyfur)

Molefur - dark brown tom with stumpy tail and green eyes (*mates with deceased she-cat, father of Falconeye)

_Apprentice, Darkpaw_

Kinkear - brown tom with slightly twisted-looking ears and amber eyes

Woollyfur - pale grey, almost white tabby tom with very fluffy fur and green eyes (mates with deceased she-cat, father of Sootspots and Dewpaw)

_Apprentice, Pebblepaw_

Icepelt - pale silver tom with orange eyes (mates with Swallowdrop, father of Mintflower, Haystripe, and Silvermask)

Spottedtail - pale golden spotted tabby she-cat with large spots like a leopards and yellow eyes and very long slim tail (mother of Tigerkit, Spiderpaw, Darkpaw, and Emberpaw)

Heavyblaze - large, lumbering black tom with yellow eyes and long tail (somehow runs fast despite bulk, mates with Silvermask, father of Pebblepaw, Mallowpaw, and Blackkit)

_Apprentice, Emberpaw_

Haystripe - fawn tabby tom with hazel eyes

Silvermask - silver tabby she-cat with white mask and mantle and hazel eyes (mates with Heavyblaze, mother of Pebblepaw, Mallowpaw, and Blackkit)

Falconeye - brown tabby tom with amber eyes

_Apprentice, Spiderpaw_

Hawklight - brown tabby tom with yellow eyes

Sootspots - dark grey tom with light grey patches and green eyes

Meadowfrost - cream she-cat with amber eyes

Seedmoon - brown tabby with white stripes instead of brown tom

Apprentices

Dewpaw - grey tabby tom with green eyes

Darkpaw - dark grey, almost black tom with copper eyes

Spiderpaw - skinny black tom with yellow eyes

Emberpaw - black she-cat with amber eyes

Pebblepaw - grey tom with copper eyes (son of Silvermask and Heavyblaze)

Mallowpaw - white she-cat with blind blue eyes (daughter of Silvermask and Heavyblaze)

Queens

Rosetalon - pale ginger tabby she-cat with green eyes, mother of Haystripes kits: Hollowkit (dark ginger tabby tom with hazel eyes), Sneezekit (pale fawn she-cat with hazel eyes), and Sandkit (pale tan tabby she-cat with green eyes)

Rainwillow - blue-grey she-cat with hazel eyes, mother of Seedmoon's kit: Bluekit (blue-grey she-cat with amber eyes)

Wasptalon - pale golden-brown she-cat with black paws, ears, and tail tip, and yellow eyes, mother of Falconeyes kits: Sandkit (pale golden tabby she-cat with yellow eyes), Morningkit (pale brown tabby she-cat with white paws and belly and amber eyes), Sparrowkit (brown tabby tom with amber eyes), and Whitekit (black tom with white paws, belly, chest, and muzzle, and yellow eyes)

Elders

Webfang - white tom with scarred, greying muzzle and cloudy blue eyes, went semi-blind early in life and retired to elders den after several accidents due to it (mates with Fernsky, father of Runningheart, Swallowdrop, and Woollyfur)

Nightrunner - skinny black tom with white-speckled pelt and yellow eyes (mates with deceased she-cat, father of Heavyblaze and Wasptalon)

Puddlenose - dark blue-grey she-cat with green eyes and white-speckled pelt (mates with Harestar, mother of Molefur, Kinkear, Hawklight, and Rainwillow)

**About to join a clan, currently staying with WindClan**

Pig - pinkish grey she-cat with ribs showing and amber eyes (mates with King, mother of Prince, Duchess, Ginny, Smoky, Dew, Ginger, Cherry, Mint, Ash, and Fox)

Weed - dark grey tabby tom with black stripes

King - ginger tom purebred with green eyes (mates with Pig, father of Prince, Duchess, Ginny, Smoky, Dew, Ginger, Cherry, Mint, Ash, and Fox)

Duchess - silver tabby she-cat with amber eyes (daughter of Pig and King, mates with Weed, mother of Chicken)

Chicken - dirty white tom with yellow eyes (son of Duchess and Burr)

Madison - tiny tortoiseshell she-cat with yellow eyes and white patches

Cherry - ginger and white patched she-cat with yellow eyes (daughter of Pig and King)

Mint - grey she-cat with white patches and hazel eyes (daughter of Pig and King)

Ash - dark grey point tom with blue eyes (son of Pig and King)

Fox - ginger tabby tom with green eyes (son of Pig and King)

**Off-territory loners and kittypets**

Sam - pale brown tabby tom with white paws, tail tip, muzzle, and chest, and yellow eyes

Prince - ginger tabby tom with green eyes (son of Pig and King)

Thunder - black tom with yellow eyes


	30. Final Update

This is just an update saying the next book is out! It's just allegiances and a prologue right now, but I'll be updating it soon. See you there!

s/12384802/1/Claws-of-Darkness

~Topaz


End file.
